He served through the end of 1945 and during that time organized the Post War Planning Council. Carl Stokes biography timelines // 21st Jun 1927 Born as Carl Burton Stokes in a black family of Cleveland, Carl was the second son of Charles, a laundryman and Louise Stokes, a cleaning woman. Finding aid for the Stokes Oral History Collection, WRHS. He was reelected to a second term in 1969. Abandoned plaza outside Stokes Courthouse to finally be developed. He also volunteered to serve in the Civil War and was at times a member of the City Council and school board before becoming mayor in 1875 and serving through the end of 1876. During Carls childhood, the Cuyahoga Riverdivided the city along racial lines. . In the photo above, Kucinich is flanked by his then-wife Sandy, left, and his father, Frank Kucinich, after claimingvictory in the 1978 recall election. Holly led boycotts against White-owned businesses and battled unions who refused to hire Black employees. [7] As mayor, he also played a pivotal role in the effort to restore Cleveland's Cuyahoga River in the aftermath of the river fire of June 1969 that brought national attention to the issue of industrial pollution in Cleveland. That I would have to develop my own talents, identify where I wanted to go, and then pursue it accordingly. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Frank Lausche named him to fill the unexpired term of Robert Taft, who had died. So we traveled down there. . Otis Co. Carl B. Stokes, Michael White, Frank Jackson, and current Mayor Justin Bibb are part of Cleveland's history of Black mayors. Stokes experienced racial discrimination in the workplace. The images of the former mayors used in this slideshow include photographs of the their portraits that hang in City Hall or sketches that are in the public domain. During White's administration, the city lost the Cleveland Browns after owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore. She suffered politically for her decisions to lay off police officers and firefighters and to support a construction of a Wal-Mart at Steelyard Commons. Nicholas Dockstadter served as mayor from 1840 to 1841. After his discharge from the Army in 1946, he attended West Virginia College. prosecutor in the city's law department for 4 years. He cut government expenses during his initial two years in office and helped quell two labor strikes, one against the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. More than two decades after it was initially proposed, a plaza adjacent to the front . The first event that defined Stokes time as mayor was his response to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. Carl DiCapo, whose rise on the Kansas City restaurant scene led to a second career as a civic giant, died at age 95 . He was a private and trained at Fort McClellan in Alabama. King's words clearly didn't fall on deaf ears because, in November of 1967, Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, the first black person ever to lead a major metropolitan city. He dropped out of high school to work in a foundry and later served (194546) in the U.S. Army during World War II. A political neophyte, he served as mayor of Cleveland from 1848-49 and went on to become more involved in the Democratic Party. After Cleveland City Council removed its portion of a floating Detroit Street Bridge, residents of the west side of the river were enraged, calling for "two bridges or none." CLEVELAND Cleveland has played a pivotal role on the political stage over the years. He was elected the first black president of the National League of Cities in 1970. The third moment was the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire. Among his accomplishments was creating a channel between Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River that allowed for passage of larger ships. He returned to Cleveland and died at the Cleveland Clinic. As Mayor, he steered a relatively moderate course, calling for calm and unity during the social and racial turbulence of the late 1960's that engulfed Cleveland and many other big cities. Other times, he and his stepbrother regularly join their friend on his boat. The couple moved north during the first Great Migration. [1] Subsequently, President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. Buhrer grew up on a communal farm in Zoar as a member of the Society of Separatists. 30 years in the US House of Representatives, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. Third persons won't have to tell me what's going on in our city. Congressman Louis Stokes was like a second father to Cordell. Later he was a newscaster, judge, and US ambassador. A tree-planting campaign during his time in office combined with similar efforts by his father, Leonard Case Sr., years before, led to Cleveland being know as "Forest City." During his second term, Farley called out the state militia to support police during a streetcar strike. He recalled how much his father enjoyed sports, sharing this passion with his children. Cleveland, Celebrezze's popularity grew during office and he received nearly 74 percent of the vote in 1961. Elected on November 7, 1967, and taking office on January 1, 1968, he was the first black elected mayor of a major U.S. city. I'll hear it, I'll see it, I'll touch it myself.. By Brian Kaberline. The MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION OF CARL B. STOKES (1967-1971) was marked by progress, controversy, and the unrest prevalent in many urban areas of the U.S. Stokes, a graduate of CLEVELAND MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL, was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1957 and served as an asst. It stayed with me. During this time Stokes became increasingly involved in civil rights activities and the Democratic Party. 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. Two months before the end of World War II, Stokes joined the US Army and got the chance to travel. Samuel Starkweather had two stints as Cleveland mayor. Carl B. Stokes, 68, the former Cleveland mayor who was the first African American elected to head a major city government, died of esophageal cancer April 3 at a Cleveland hospital. He was mayor when Cleveland Municipal Stadium was completed on the lakefront and later was instrumental in the creation of the Cleveland Browns. Pelton served as mayor from 1871 to 1872. The camp always incorporated being able to introduce you into the wild. His father was very much a leader, someone who was willing to put himself on the front line to help advance many of the causes important within the Civil Rights arena. And boy that ball hit him in the behind. He later acquired the Cleveland Herald & Gazette, in which he would not allow "print ads for the more notorious quack medicines, or notices for the return of runaway slaves," according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. A large crowd sits at tables to hear Carl B. Stokes and Seth Taft debate at the City Club of Cleveland during the 1967 mayoral campaign. A voice of hope had been lost. Hiring policies. Who influenced his views? 4 pioneer is now mostly forgotten, but his rise and fall as two-term Cleveland mayor, from 1967 to 1971, is part of. Within months, this event grew from a local story about property damage to an international symbol of water pollution. Raymond T. Miller was the first mayor of Cleveland after the city abandoned its city manager form of government. Carl and Shirley Stokes cast their votes for Cleveland mayor on Election Day 1967. I was with basketball and football. During his tenure, he was instrumental in expanding the Port of Cleveland, Burke Lakefront Airport and the Rapid train system. He also helped establish the Cleveland Board of Trade and organize the Cleveland Yacht Club. . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. As he got older, Carl got involved in tinkering around the house, working in the yard, and building things in his woodshop. Cleveland Public Library Photograph Collection. . Carl Stokes, in full Carl Burton Stokes, (born June 21, 1927, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.died April 3, 1996, Cleveland), American lawyer and politician, who became the first African American to serve as mayor of a major U.S. city, having been elected to that office in Cleveland, Ohio (196771). He married for the third time in 1996. He tried to reorganize the police department and expand public housing. The Italian-born Anthony Celebrezze served four two-year terms from 1954 to 1961. He was briefly an Ohio senator and then a U.S. congressman before serving one year as Cleveland's mayor. He breathed his last in Cleveland. The problems of poverty and discrimination in American cities, he had said, "threatens to strangle and destroy our entire urban civilization.". [1], Stokes was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. Raised in a public housing project for the poor by their mother, Louise, a cleaning woman, the Stokes boys would help support the family by carrying newspapers and working in neighborhood stores. Stokes, Carl Burton. View finding aid for the Carl B. Stokes Papers, Series I, WRHS. . . [1][2] His election came alongside the election of Richard G. Hatcher in the 1967 Gary, Indiana mayoral election. He took me down to Jamaica with friends of his who were also tennis players. View image gallery at Cleveland Public Library. The City of Cleveland On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River caught on fire in Cleveland, Ohio, just a few miles downstream of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. He served two years as mayor starting in 1838 and was subsequently defeated twice before getting elected again as mayor in 1842. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. Stokes was a busy student who was active in sports and clubs. But he saw a different opportunity as a state legislator. There were four very important Black individuals that I had to learn as soon as I could started reading and comprehending. At that time, racial discrimination in Cleveland was an issue of serious concern in America. John O. Holly was a Black political activist who was popular in the Cleveland housing projects when Carl was a young man. Did the family enjoy time outdoors? To help us better interpret Carls legacy, Cuyahoga Valley National Park recorded an oral history with his son Cordell Stokes in 2021. He and his . He served as mayor of Cleveland from 1887 through 1888. He embraced the common man philosophy of the Jacksonian Democrats and that made him popular politically. The city of Cleveland's count of 57 mayors differs from the 50 reported here, because the city counts more than once each of the mayors who served non-consecutive terms. He was a delegate to local and state Whig conventions. During his teenage years in the 1940s, Carl often found himself in trouble. He passed away back home in Cleveland, the place he cared for the most. The first mayor of Cleveland, John W. Willey served from 1836 to 1837. Cleveland State University / Michael Schwartz Library Brothers Carl and Louis Stokes rose from their childhood in Cleveland's public housing to become influential Black politicians. He advocated for clean water and environmental justice, bringing international attention to the infamous 1969 Cuyahoga River fire. The Cleveland mayoral election of 1967 saw the election of Carl Stokes. According to Cordell, Carl was always doing something in his spare time. Throughout the remainder of his time as mayor, Stokes aimed to reform the Cleveland Police Department. With Raija, he had a daughter, Cynthia and a stepson, Sasha Kostadinov. While working as the Ambassador to the Seychelles, he was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. Carl died when Cordell was about 25 years old, a college student on a basketball scholarship. 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. Under Stokes and his successors (white and black), the city undertook a long revitalization process. U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes was a freshman congressman in 1969, when the river fire caught national attention. After that, he shifted to New York City and the next year, he served the television station WNBC as an anchorman. . There he successfully pioneered bills mandating that police officerstake inventory in the event of a search warrant and the right for criminals to see an attorney within 72 hours of arrest. They lived in the Outhwaite Homes Estates, Clevelands first public housing projects. Carl B. Stokes served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Carl B. Stokes was the first African American elected mayor of a major US city, serving in Cleveland from 1968 to 1971. He got involved in Republican politics and was elected county recorder before beating incumbent Tom Johnson for Cleveland mayor, serving from 1910 through 1911. He figured that the one way to make a big change in the dynamics for minorities would be to use Black political power to take over City Hallmeaning, get elected as mayor. The city elected Carl Stokes as mayor in 1967, making him the first African-American mayor of a major city in the United States. Now, during the summers at home in Ohio, Cordell said that he swims in Lake Erie quite a bit. Cleveland State University / Michael Schwartz Library. After being discharged in 1946, he returned to Cleveland and earned a high school diploma, and then attended West Virginia State College and Cleveland College of Western Reserve University, majoring in psychology. That year he married Raija Kostadinov with whom he had a stepson, Sasha, and daughter, Cynthia. He won support from a diverse pool of voters, including both Black and White business owners. It's unclear when Chapin took office as the previous mayor, George Senter, is credited with having declared a day of mourning following Lincoln's assassination. lost momentum when it was indirectly linked to Black nationalists involved in the Glenville Shootout on July 23, 1968. This article highlights some of the insights he graciously provided. The CLEVELAND: NOW! [9], After his mayoral administration, Stokes gave lectures to colleges around the country. Frank Jackson is finishing his third term as mayor and is running for an unprecedented fourth, four-year term. Rensselaer R. Herrick came to Cleveland as a boy and went to work as a printer's apprentice. His brother Carl Jr. (born in 1958) and his sister Cordi (born in 1961) grew up in the public eye during their fathers political career. After dropping out of high school and going to work in a foundry, Carl Stokes entered the Army in 1944, and served in occupied Germany in World War II. His political career as a Democrat began in 1962 when he was elected to the Ohio general assembly, where he remained for 5 years. After a tough campaign, Stokes emerged victorious. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Cordell Stokes, one of Carls sons, said their family has traced their history back to being sold as enslaved peoples in Virginia. Leonard N. Moore makes an important contribution in this much-needed examination of the political career of Carl B. Stokes, the first black . When elected mayor, Carl advanced equal employment policies in Cleveland. Stokes was ahead of his time. Thrust into the fore of urban politics at a time of such upheaval, Mr. Stokes seemed to relish the challenge, even as many whites viewed him with hostility. Daniel D. Morgan was the only other city manager of Cleveland. The biographical data on the mayors comes primarily from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, including those passages that are in quotes. That provides a foundation for creating a diverse business environment, hiring environment, etc. Carl was raised alongside his brother Louis Stokes who also grew up to be a famous politician, serving 30 years in the US House of Representatives. I was the only man there who did not go to town. He was known as a "firm but fair" justice of the peace, according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Initially popular with business leaders, Now! Masters, who resigned after contracting tuberculosis. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 44106, 10900 Euclid Ave. The first mayor of Cleveland, John W. Willey served from 1836 to 1837. He lost his father when he was very young. Mr. Stokes became the first black Democrat elected to the Legislature in 1962, winning office in Cuyahoga County, which was only 14 percent black. Carl Stokes doesn't sit back. By winning the election, Stokes became the first African-American to be elected mayor of a large U.S. city. He enrolled in West Virginia State College, and first pursued a double major in psychology and sociology. Cordell shared his thoughts on Carls political legacy. Some you might know well, others you might be hearing about for the first time. 11201 Euclid Ave. Finding aid for the Carl Stokes Scrapbooks, WRHS. Cleveland, Next, he studied psychology at the Cleveland College of Western Reserve University. Corrections? All of the things that the Earth has to present itself. After inheriting a city in default, he renegotiated the municipal debt and reorganized City Hall. President Clinton then appointed him U.S. Carl was also a fantastic pool player to the point where he was playing against some of the world-renowned, historic pool players. As a newsman, he played softball on the NBC team in Central Park. Josiah Harris was a boy when his family moved to Lorain County from Massachusetts. The funeral was carried on WERE radio. Of his efforts, the National Park Service wrote: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The US Federal Courthouse Tower in downtown Cleveland, completed in 2002, was named the Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles in 1994. During that time he was involved in the creation of the Cleveland Electric Railway Co. Nathan P. Payne, a Democrat, was in the coal business prior to running for mayor. Carl was a big-time tennis observer and player. As a parent, he was very engaged in Cordells high-level career as a student-athlete in basketball and football. He was reelected in 1969. Later, he attended the Cleveland-Marshall Law School from where he earned his JD degree in 1956. We had a cousin who lived up there and he had a cabin. . His father was co-owner of the city's first lumberyard. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This influential American politician used to deliver newspapers and work in local stores to support his family while he was very young. Herman C. Baehr started working for his father's brewing business at age 14 and later became an officer with the Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Co. Senter declared a day of mourning after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Many thought that the progress recently achieved by civil rights leaders would slowly be undone. Carl Stokes in August 1967. Credit: AP Stokes' rise and fall as a Ch. In 1970, the National League of Cities voted him its first black president-elect. During this time, he was actively involved in various civil rights activities. "In many ways, my position as mayor of this great city would not be possible without Carl Stokes laying that foundation," Bibb said. He eventually dropped out of high school in 1944 to work for Clevelands Otis Steel Foundry and later Thompson Aircraft Company. Find out more about the men who inspired Carl B. Stokes. 44106-7107. Updated: 6:32 PM EST February 3, 2022 CLEVELAND Carl Burton Stokes, Cleveland's first Black mayor was also the nation's first Black mayor of a major city. Davis had a greater number of combined first-, second- and third-place votes. So thats the big thing here. . Stokes knew there were legislative battles ahead to improve equity. In between his time as Cleveland mayor, Starkweather was the first common pleas judge elected under the state's new constitution. He worked for the committees of judiciary, industry and labour and public welfare. In 1980, he returned to his hometown of Cleveland and worked as a general legal counsel for the United Auto Workers Union. Later, as Cleveland City Council president, he greeted Abraham Lincoln when he visited Cleveland in February of 1861. Mayor Stokes held a pollution tour for local press the following day. Masters defeated incumbent Cleveland Mayor Edward S. Flint in 1863 but resigned the following year due to poor health. The second event was Cleveland: Now!, an urban revitalization program that Stokes launched a month after Kings death. He had to get me off the court because I was laughing. He drew the worlds attention to pollution in Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. President Bill Clinton appointed Stokes ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. He also pushed for the establishment of the city's first waterworks. Dennis Kucinich, known as "the boy mayor," took office at age 31 but served only asingle two-year term beginning in 1978. For many years he served as superintendent of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad. Harry Davis served as Cleveland mayor on two occasions. program, launched by Stokes to rehabilitate the city, raised over $5 million, which benefitted a wide variety of community programs. He always talked to me as an adult, not of kiddie stuff. Newton D. Baker, the Baker in prominent Cleveland law firm Baker & Hostetler, served as Cleveland mayor from 1912 through 1915. After the story was picked up by Time magazine, Stokes became internationally famous as a pioneering advocate for environmental justice, particularly clean water. Although African Americans faced racism in Cleveland too, their opportunities in the early 1900s were better than in the Jim Crow South. George W. Gardner was a grain dealer whose business interests included a partnership with John D. Rockefeller. He would serve as sheriff of Elyria. He sought re-election but was defeated. OH On the night of his election victory in 1967, Mr. Stokes told a crowd of cheering supporters that he had never before then known "the full meaning of the words 'God Bless America.' William B. With a 50.5% margin, he defeated Seth Taft, the grandson of former President William Howard Taft in 1967. Previously, he was an artillery captain during the Civil War and a president of the City Council. William G. Rose made a lot of money by refining oil and developing land. Mr. Stokes's brother Louis, a Representative from Ohio, said yesterday that his brother had "inspired black Americans to aspire to higher political office all over the country.". Born in the poor black neighborhood of Central in 1927, Carl Stokes was only 2 when his father, Charles, a laundry worker, died. There Charles Stokes was a sharecropper and part-time preacher, while Louise was a cook on a plantation. May 1, 2023. He was born in Cleveland to Charles Stokes, a laundry worker who died when Carl was two years old, and Louise (Stone) Stokes, a cleaning woman who then raised Carl and his brother Louis in Cleveland's first federally funded housing project for the poor, Outhwaite (see PUBLIC HOUSING). He served a second two-year term from 1899 through 1900. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. But he became embroiled in scandal stemming from a traveling salesman's divorce suit and he was ousted from his job in 1913 "on charges of neglect of duty and gross immorality.". Carl B. Stokes was the first African American Mayor of not only Cleveland but of a major American city. It was Mr. Voinovich, as noted, who said the slide had started with poor managerial moves by Mr. Stokes, a contention Mr. Stokes denied. And he was also trying to get me into tennis where he had sponsors looking at me. After leaving office, he was appointed secretary of war by then-President Woodrow Wilson. During his administration the Equal Employment Opportunity Ordinance was passed requiring firms doing business with the city to have active programs to increase their minority employment, spending was increased for schools, welfare, and public safety, and a $100 million bond issue was approved by voters to improve the city's sewage treatment facilities. They got divorced in 1993. Civil Rights was the big movement. "The aftermath of that night was to haunt and color every aspect of my administration the next three years," he wrote. At the same time, he was also an active member of the Democratic Party. He served as mayor in 1847. funds. Legal Notice | Privacy Policy, Mather House, Room 308 Both had rocks and forest. From 1994 to 1995 Stokes served as U.S. ambassador to Seychelles. In a career marked by the overcoming of racial barriers, Mr. Stokes also served in the Ohio Legislature, presided as a municipal judge in Cleveland and was the first black anchorman of a television news show in New York. In 1972, he became the first black anchorman in New York City after securing a job with WNBC-TV. After four years, the emerging Democratic leader looked to politics. STOKES, CARL B. In 1957 he passed the bar and the following year was appointed assistant city prosecutor in Cleveland. He focused on urban revitalization issues. A riot ensued, with Willey joining Cleveland militiamen in the armed skirmish. [a] Early life [ edit] After earning his high-school diploma, he studied law at the University of Minnesota (B.S., 1954) and Cleveland-Marshall Law School (LL.B., 1956). We would go out hunting off of that. In 1956, he graduated from the Cleveland State University College of Law and in 1957, was admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association. He left the mayors post in 1971. From his standpoint, he was the one who established the EEO department, Equal Employment Opportunity. // 1946 Later, he joined the U. S. Army and served in occupied Germany during the World War II. Cordell described fond childhood memories of nature, especially when his family lived in New York. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/carl-stokes-5261.php. Cordell Edward Stokes was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1969, the youngest child of Carl and his first wife, Shirley. Theyd show you berries that youd eat and things of that sort. - Editor, Kansas City Business Journal. Frank Lausche took over as Cleveland mayor in 1942. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. I'm very oriented into wild game. The majority of Clevelands African American population lived on the East Side. My style will be management by being on the street, management by walking around. Birthday: June 21, 1927 ( Gemini) Born In: Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A 5 1 Political Leaders #3501 Leaders #4566 Quick Facts Also Known As: Carl Burton Stokes Died At Age: 68 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Raija Kostadinov, Shirley Edwards father: Charles Stokes mother: Louise (Stone) Stokes His marriage to Shirley Edwards in 1958, which produced three children, ended in divorce in 1973. The Smithsonian has a profile of Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture as well as objects about him in its collection. He served as Cleveland's mayor from 1885 through 1986 and in 1889 and 1990. The first permanent bridge across the Cuyahoga River was built during his term. As Cleveland's police commissioner, he ended a practice of keeping the press out of hearings. After serving as mayor, he became president of Citizen's Savings & Loan Association and director of the Riverside Cemetery Association, both organizations he helped found. He did not seek re-election. It focuses on how poor environmental conditions affect low-income and minority communities more than others. Kucinich lost re-election to George Voinovich, but would eventually return to political life, which included eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and two failed attempts to win the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. As mayor, Stokes sought to improve Clevelands declining economy and to create racial unity. As mayor, Brownell "supported city departments, new schools, new sewers, and loans for area roads," according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. George Hoadley graduated from Yale in 1801 and later studied law. He worked as a bookkeeper and went to Cleveland Law School at night. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Cordell is proud that Cleveland is still on the frontline of these issues, so that our children and childrens children can hopefully have an environment where they can breathe good air..