The Black Experience in St. Joseph County

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1. Olivet AME Church Choir

2. Olivet Church Exterior

For many decades in South Bend history the black population was quite small: however, the black community begins very early in South Bend History. Eight black/Negro residents are listed in the 1840 census for St. Joseph County, including Peter Coleman, a horse doctor from Virginia, his wife and baby; Joseph Huffman, a barber; and four unnamed servants living in St. Joseph County with white families (2 in Mishawka, 2 in South Bend). Coleman and Mariah White, who married here in June 1839, are the first settlers actually documented by name.

By 1850, five families were listed in the census, including the Colemans, Garrett Smiths, Andrew Rollins, Jeff Claybourn, and Edward Berry families. Smith brought land on North main Street in 1849 and his descendents lived in this area for many years. James Washington, who lived with the Berrys at the time of the census, was very active in the “Underground Railroad” Farrow Powell, first of a Prominent family, bought property beginning in 1858 and along with James Jackson and James Hurst was among the first trustee'’ of Oliviet A.M.E, the first black church in the city.

The black population increased during the next decades as early families intermarried and new settlers arrived. During WW1 and after there was an additional increase in settlement, partly due to the availability of hundreds of factory jobs at Studebakers.

Information Submitted by: Jim Piechorowski and John Kovatch

Project Started: Thursday, September 08, 2005

Updated: Monday, September 19, 2005 07:53:28 PM