Carl B. Stokes
Encyclopedia
Carl Burton Stokes was an American politician
of the Democratic party
who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio
. Elected on November 7, 1967, but took office on Jan 1, 1968, he was the first African American
mayor
of a major U.S.
city. Fellow Ohio
an Robert C. Henry
was the first African American mayor of any U.S. city (Springfield, elected 1966).
, in Cleveland's first federally funded housing project for the poor, Outhwaite Homes
. Although a good student, Stokes dropped out of high school in 1944, worked briefly at Thompson Products (later TRW
), then joined the U.S. Army at age 18. After his discharge in 1946, Stokes returned to Cleveland and earned his high school diploma in 1947.
He then attended several colleges before earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota
in 1954. He graduated from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
in 1956 and was admitted to the Ohio
bar in 1957. While studying law he was a probation officer. For four years, he served as assistant prosecutor
and became partner in the law firm of Stokes, Stokes, continuing that practice into his political career; it was successful after one year.
in 1962, he served 3 terms. Stokes worked hard to even out legislative districts during that time since Ohio had uneven representation among its Congressional and General Assembly districts. By the late 1960s, he was able to carve out a district that could elect him to Congress, but deferred to his brother Louis Stokes who represented Cleveland in the U.S. House of Representatives for three decades. Stokes narrowly lost a bid for mayor of Cleveland
in 1965. His victory two years later drew national attention, as he was the first African-American mayor of one of the ten biggest cities in the United States. Able to mobilize both black and white voters, he defeated Seth Taft
, the grandson of a former U.S. president
, with a 50.5 majority. A crucial part of his support came from businessmen living outside the city limits of Cleveland, especially Squire, Sanders and Dempsey lawyers Ralph Besse and Elmer Lindseth who were directors and officers of the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and wanted Stokes to deemphasize the City's Municipal Electric and Light Plant. Stokes tried to de-emphasize the city's municipal utility, but was thwarted by city councilmen whose wards took advantage of the cheaper product.
After his election Stokes said "I can find no more fitting way to end this appeal, by saying to all of you, in a more serious and in the most meaningful way that I can, that truly never before have I ever known to the extent that I know tonight, the full meaning of the words, ‘God Bless America', thanks a lot."
As mayor, Stokes opened city hall jobs to blacks and women. Though he was not known as a strong administrator, he was remembered for his vision and motivation. Stokes feuded with City Council and the Police Department for most of his tenure. He also initiated Cleveland: Now!
, a public and private funding program aimed at the revitalization of Cleveland neighborhoods. When the Glenville Shootout
occurred under Stokes, it was discovered that Fred (Ahmed) Evans, one of major characters in the conflict had received some $6,000 in funds from the program. As a result, donations began to sink. However, Stokes pulled through and was reelected in 1969.
After being privately advised he would be indicted by the Federal government for corruption while mayor, but would not be if he declined another term, Stokes chose not to run for reelection, and Ralph J. Perk
became his successor.
After his mayoral administration, Stokes lectured to colleges around the country. In 1972 he became the first black anchorman in New York City
when he took a job with television station WNBC-TV
. While at WNBC New York, Stokes won a New York State Regional Emmy for excellence in craft, for a piece about the opening of the Paul Robeson
play, starring James Earl Jones
on Broadway
. After accusing NBC of failing to promote him to a national brief, he returned to Cleveland in 1980 and began serving as general legal counsel for the United Auto Workers
. From 1983 to 1994 he served as municipal judge in Cleveland where he developed a reputation as a fair judge with a common sense approach to the law. President Bill Clinton
then appointed him U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles
. He was awarded 12 honorary degrees, numerous civic awards, and represented the United States
on numerous goodwill trips abroad by request of the White House
. In 1970, the National League of Cities
voted him its first black president-elect.
In 1988, Stokes was arrested for shoplifting a $2.39 screwdriver from a suburban Cleveland hardware store. In 1989, he was arrested for shoplifting a bag of dog food from a pet shop. The charges were dropped in the first incident, in which Stokes said he put the screwdriver in his pocket and forgot about it, the dog-food case went to trial, where he was found not guilty after testifying that he had intended to pay but no clerk was there and he had to rush off to a meeting.
He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. He returned to Cleveland and died at the Cleveland Clinic
. His funeral was held at Cleveland Music Hall, presided over by the Rev. Otis Moss. The funeral was carried on WERE radio. Stokes was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
The US Federal Courthouse Tower in downtown Cleveland, completed in 2002, was named the Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building
. There are many other buildings, monuments and a street named for his memory within the City of Cleveland including the CMHA Carl Stokes Center, Stokes Boulevard, and the eponymous Carl Stokes Brigade club. Members of the Brigade celebrate his birthday every year at Lakeview Cemetery with gravesite services.
In November 2006, the Western Reserve Historical Society
opened an exhibit titled Carl and Louis Stokes: from Projects to Politics. The exhibit focuses on the brothers' early life at the Outhwaite projects, service in World War II
, and eventual rise to politics. The exhibit ran through September 2008.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Democratic party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Elected on November 7, 1967, but took office on Jan 1, 1968, he was the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of a major U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city. Fellow Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
an Robert C. Henry
Robert C. Henry
Robert Clayton Henry was mayor of Springfield, Ohio from 1966 to 1968. He was the first African-American mayor of an American city of any size, though this achievement is frequently overshadowed by fellow African American mayor Carl B. Stokes, who was elected mayor of Cleveland in 1967.Henry was...
was the first African American mayor of any U.S. city (Springfield, elected 1966).
Early life
Stokes was born in Cleveland to Charles Stokes, a laundryman who died when Carl was three years old, and Louise (Stone) Stokes, a cleaning woman who then raised Carl, and his brother, Louis StokesLouis Stokes
Louis Stokes is a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served in the United States House of Representatives....
, in Cleveland's first federally funded housing project for the poor, Outhwaite Homes
Outhwaite Homes
Outhwaite Homes is a public housing development under jurisdiction of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority in Cleveland, Ohio. Built in 1935 and possibly named after Joseph H. Outhwaite, it was the first federally funded public housing in the Cleveland area and one of the first in the U.S....
. Although a good student, Stokes dropped out of high school in 1944, worked briefly at Thompson Products (later TRW
TRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
), then joined the U.S. Army at age 18. After his discharge in 1946, Stokes returned to Cleveland and earned his high school diploma in 1947.
He then attended several colleges before earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1954. He graduated from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
The Cleveland–Marshall College of Law is the law school of Cleveland State University, located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school traces its origins to the founding of Cleveland Law School in 1897 which, in 1946, merged with the John Marshall School of Law, founded in 1916, to become Cleveland–Marshall...
in 1956 and was admitted to the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
bar in 1957. While studying law he was a probation officer. For four years, he served as assistant prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
and became partner in the law firm of Stokes, Stokes, continuing that practice into his political career; it was successful after one year.
Career
Elected to the Ohio House of RepresentativesOhio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
in 1962, he served 3 terms. Stokes worked hard to even out legislative districts during that time since Ohio had uneven representation among its Congressional and General Assembly districts. By the late 1960s, he was able to carve out a district that could elect him to Congress, but deferred to his brother Louis Stokes who represented Cleveland in the U.S. House of Representatives for three decades. Stokes narrowly lost a bid for mayor of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
in 1965. His victory two years later drew national attention, as he was the first African-American mayor of one of the ten biggest cities in the United States. Able to mobilize both black and white voters, he defeated Seth Taft
Seth Taft
Seth Chase Taft is an American politician of the Republican party. He is the grandson of President William Howard Taft and the son of Cincinnati, Ohio, mayor Charles Phelps Taft II and Eleanor Chase Taft, whose father ran the Waterbury, Connecticut Clock Company. Taft had five sisters and one...
, the grandson of a former U.S. president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, with a 50.5 majority. A crucial part of his support came from businessmen living outside the city limits of Cleveland, especially Squire, Sanders and Dempsey lawyers Ralph Besse and Elmer Lindseth who were directors and officers of the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and wanted Stokes to deemphasize the City's Municipal Electric and Light Plant. Stokes tried to de-emphasize the city's municipal utility, but was thwarted by city councilmen whose wards took advantage of the cheaper product.
After his election Stokes said "I can find no more fitting way to end this appeal, by saying to all of you, in a more serious and in the most meaningful way that I can, that truly never before have I ever known to the extent that I know tonight, the full meaning of the words, ‘God Bless America', thanks a lot."
As mayor, Stokes opened city hall jobs to blacks and women. Though he was not known as a strong administrator, he was remembered for his vision and motivation. Stokes feuded with City Council and the Police Department for most of his tenure. He also initiated Cleveland: Now!
Cleveland: Now!
Cleveland: Now! was a public and private funding program for the rehabilitation of neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio.Former Mayor Carl B. Stokes first announced the program on May 1, 1968. Local businessmen agreed to cooperate with the city in a fundraising program to fight the problem of...
, a public and private funding program aimed at the revitalization of Cleveland neighborhoods. When the Glenville Shootout
Glenville Shootout
The Glenville Shootout was a series of events of violent acts that occurred in the Glenville section of Cleveland, Ohio, United States, from the dates of July 23–28, 1968...
occurred under Stokes, it was discovered that Fred (Ahmed) Evans, one of major characters in the conflict had received some $6,000 in funds from the program. As a result, donations began to sink. However, Stokes pulled through and was reelected in 1969.
After being privately advised he would be indicted by the Federal government for corruption while mayor, but would not be if he declined another term, Stokes chose not to run for reelection, and Ralph J. Perk
Ralph J. Perk
Ralph Joseph Perk was an American politician of the Republican Party who served as the 52nd mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.-Political career:...
became his successor.
After his mayoral administration, Stokes lectured to colleges around the country. In 1972 he became the first black anchorman in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
when he took a job with television station WNBC-TV
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
. While at WNBC New York, Stokes won a New York State Regional Emmy for excellence in craft, for a piece about the opening of the Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
play, starring James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. After accusing NBC of failing to promote him to a national brief, he returned to Cleveland in 1980 and began serving as general legal counsel for the United Auto Workers
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
. From 1983 to 1994 he served as municipal judge in Cleveland where he developed a reputation as a fair judge with a common sense approach to the law. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
then appointed him U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
. He was awarded 12 honorary degrees, numerous civic awards, and represented the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on numerous goodwill trips abroad by request of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. In 1970, the National League of Cities
National League of Cities
The National League of Cities is an American advocacy organization representing 19,000 cities, towns, and villages, and encompassing 49 state municipal leagues....
voted him its first black president-elect.
In 1988, Stokes was arrested for shoplifting a $2.39 screwdriver from a suburban Cleveland hardware store. In 1989, he was arrested for shoplifting a bag of dog food from a pet shop. The charges were dropped in the first incident, in which Stokes said he put the screwdriver in his pocket and forgot about it, the dog-food case went to trial, where he was found not guilty after testifying that he had intended to pay but no clerk was there and he had to rush off to a meeting.
He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. He returned to Cleveland and died at the Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
. His funeral was held at Cleveland Music Hall, presided over by the Rev. Otis Moss. The funeral was carried on WERE radio. Stokes was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
The US Federal Courthouse Tower in downtown Cleveland, completed in 2002, was named the Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building
Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building
The Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building is a skyscraper located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio...
. There are many other buildings, monuments and a street named for his memory within the City of Cleveland including the CMHA Carl Stokes Center, Stokes Boulevard, and the eponymous Carl Stokes Brigade club. Members of the Brigade celebrate his birthday every year at Lakeview Cemetery with gravesite services.
In November 2006, the Western Reserve Historical Society
Western Reserve Historical Society
The Western Reserve Historical Society was founded in 1867, making it the oldest cultural institution in Northeast Ohio. WRHS is located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.-About:...
opened an exhibit titled Carl and Louis Stokes: from Projects to Politics. The exhibit focuses on the brothers' early life at the Outhwaite projects, service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and eventual rise to politics. The exhibit ran through September 2008.