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1967 · 2011
The honor: The honors above belong to people. The National Civic League's All-America City Award belongs to the city itself, and the League's own winners list gives South Bend two years: 1967 and 2011. The award, the nation's oldest community-recognition honor, has been given since 1949 to ten communities a year that make their case before a national jury. The 1967 win stands on the League's list without a surviving case summary in the records reached; the city's second win is documented whole. On 17 June 2011, in Kansas City, Missouri, South Bend was named one of the ten All-America Cities of 2011, in the final year of Mayor Stephen Luecke's tenure, on a presentation built from three projects: the Northeast Neighborhood revitalization, the transformation of the Engman Natatorium — the pool whose segregated history stands in the Black History section — into the Civil Rights Heritage Center, and the 212 Degree STARS youth program. The city had been a finalist in 2009 before it won. Representative Joe Donnelly entered the honor in the Congressional Record on 22 June 2011, noting both wins — "for a second time, having previously won the award in 1967." Forty-four years between the two years on the League's list is the city's whole All-America ledger, and it is printed at that size.
Sources:
- National Civic League, "All-America Cities 1949–2014," the League's own winners list — "South Bend 1967, 2011."
- City of South Bend, Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal 2011 — the award received from the National Civic League on June 17, 2011, in Kansas City; one of only 10 cities honored; the three projects presented.
- Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, 22 June 2011 — Representative Joe Donnelly honoring the 2011 win, the 1967 win before it, and the 2009 finalist year.