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c 9 April 2002 John Oxian, President Historic Preservation Commission 227 West Jefferson Blvd. South Bend, IN 46601 -1830 Dear Mr. Oxian: As friends and neighbors of the late C.A. Mott family, we are requesting that the Historic Preservation Commission consider designating the Mott family home at 2733 Lincoln Way West as a Local Historic Landmark. This request is based upon 1) the char- acter of the house and its location in an older residential neighborhood, and 2) the notable careers and community involve- ment that is now regarded as civil rights work of Dr. C.A. Mott and his wife Josephine, a registered nurse. We believe that this designation will help preserve the neighborhood as well as bring needed attention to the struggles and, importantly, to the achieve- ments of African - Americans in South Bend. - Both Dr. Mott and his wife played significant roles in the African - American and South Bend communities. Having completed his medical studies at Meharry Medical Center, a historically black medical school in Nashville, TN, Dr. Mott was the first African - American to complete his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital -South Bend. As a physician, he was a staff member of Memorial, St. Joseph's, and Osteopathic hospitals. He was also a member of the St. Joseph County Medical Association as well as the American and National Medical Associations. He and his wife,. also a graduate of Meharry, formed the first African - American doctor -nurse team to practice in South Bend. Mrs. Josephine Mott was especially known for her volunteer work. A friend of the Mott family, Ms. Cecelia Doats, recently,tbld me that she was "involved in everything." Mrs. Mott was a member of the retired Nurses' Association, the St. Joseph Medical Center Auxiliary, and the St. Joseph County Medical Auxiliary. She served as a board member of the Visiting Nurses Association and worked with the March of Dimes and the Red Cross. Another close friend of the family, Mr. C.T. Williams, related how Dr. and Mrs. Mott spon- sored his wife from Cuba when he was a young man. Mr. Williams also referred to Mrs. Mott's community efforts when he said: "she was volunteering til the day she died." The Motts actively participated in the life of St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church, the first African - American church in South Bend, dedicated on June 15, 1941, and located at 1235 W. Washington.