Carl Stokes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador toSeychelles | |
| In office September 7, 1994 – May 12, 1995 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | F. Stephen Malott |
| Succeeded by | Brent E. Blaschke |
| 51st Mayor of Cleveland | |
| In office November 13, 1967 – November 8, 1971 | |
| Preceded by | Ralph S. Locher |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Perk |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carl Burton Stokes (1927-06-21)June 21, 1927 |
| Died | April 3, 1996(1996-04-03) (aged 68) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Resting place | Lake View Cemetery,Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | Charles Stokes Louise Stone |
| Relatives | Louis Stokes(Brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota Cleveland–Marshall College of Law |
| Occupation | Politician Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1945–1946 |
| Rank | Private |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |  World War II Victory Medal |
Carl Burton Stokes (June 21, 1927 – April 3, 1996) was anAmericanpolitician and diplomat of theDemocratic Party who served as the 51stmayor ofCleveland,Ohio.Elected on November 7, 1967, and taking office on January 1, 1968, he was one of thefirst black elected mayors of a major U.S. city.[a]
Stokes was born in Cleveland'sCentralneighborhood, the son of Louise (Stone) and Charles Stokes, a laundryman who died when Carl was around two or three years old.[1] He and his brother, politicianLouis Stokes, were raised by their mother at theCMHA'sOuthwaite Homes.[1] Stokes was a strong student, but in 1944, he dropped out of high school and took up work atThompson Products (laterTRW). At 18, he joined theU.S. Army and returned to Cleveland after his discharge in 1946.[1] After earning his diploma atEast Technical High School the following year, Stokes, who was inspired by civil rights activistPaul Robeson, decided to pursue a career in public service.[2] After attending several colleges, he earned his bachelor's degree in 1954 from theUniversity of Minnesota. In 1956, he graduated fromCleveland-Marshall College of Law and in 1957, wasadmitted to theOhio State Bar Association.[1] While studying law, he served as a probation officer. He served as assistantprosecutor for four years, eventually becoming a partner in the law firm of Stokes, Stokes, continuing that practice into his political career; it was successful after one year.[1]
Stokes served in the Ohio House of Representatives.[3] He narrowly lost a bid for mayor ofClevelandin 1965. His victory two years later drew national attention, as he was the first black mayor of one of the ten biggest cities in the United States.[4]
A charismatic political figure, Stokes had the ability to mobilize both black and white voters. With a 50.5% margin, he defeatedSeth Taft, the grandson of former PresidentWilliam Howard Taft in 1967.[1][5] At the time of his election, Cleveland was a majority white city with a 37% black population.[6] A crucial part of his support came from local businessmen. Stokes won 95% of the Black vote and won by only 1600 votes according to CBS.[7] 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."[4]
As mayor, Stokes "opened city hall jobs to blacks and women."[1] He was known as a strong administrator and reformer, and is remembered for his vision and motivation. Stokes feuded withCity Council and thePolice Department for much of his tenure. He also initiatedCleveland: Now!, a public and private funding program aimed at the revitalization of Cleveland neighborhoods.[8] Despite fallout over theGlenville shootout, Stokes pulled through and wasreelected in 1969.[8] As mayor, he also played a pivotal role in the effort to restore Cleveland'sCuyahoga River in the aftermath of the river fire of June 1969 that brought national attention to the issue ofindustrial pollution in Cleveland.[9]
Stokes received the "NNPA Award," highest honor of the National Newspaper Publishers Association in 1971.[10]
After his mayoral administration, Stokes gave lectures to colleges around the country. In 1972, he became the first black anchorman inNew York City after securing a job withWNBC-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, starringJames Earl Jones onBroadway. In 1979, he briefly visited Cleveland to endorse MayorDennis Kucinich in the1979 Cleveland mayoral election, warning that "ifVoinovich wins, the Democrats might as well forget about thestate of Ohio in 1980."[11] After accusing NBC of failing to promote him to a national brief, he returned to Cleveland in 1980 and took up a stint withUnited Auto Workers, serving as general legal counsel.[1]
Stokes became a municipal judge in Cleveland in 1983.[1] Subsequently, PresidentBill Clinton appointed him U.S. Ambassador to theRepublic of Seychelles in 1994.[1] Stokes received several civic awards, 12 honorary degrees, and served as a U.S. representative "on numerous goodwill trips abroad by request of theWhite House." He was elected the first black president of theNational League of Cities in 1970.[1]
Stokes was diagnosed withcancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. He returned to Cleveland and died at theCleveland Clinic. His funeral was held at Cleveland Music Hall, presided over by theRev. Otis Moss. The funeral was carried onWERE radio. Stokes was buried atLake View Cemetery in Cleveland.[12]
The US Federal Courthouse Tower in downtown Cleveland, completed in 2002, was named theCarl 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, theWestern Reserve Historical Society opened an exhibit entitledCarl and Louis Stokes: from Projects to Politics. Focusing on the brothers' early life at the Outhwaite projects, service inWorld War II, and eventual rise to politics, the exhibit ran until September 2008.
Perhaps Stokes' greatest legacy was his work to save and preserve Cleveland's Cuyahoga River. Of his efforts, theNational Park Service wrote:
Stokes was ahead of his time. By the 1980s, the environmental justice movement helped broaden environmentalism. It focuses on how poor environmental conditions affect low-income and minority communities more than others. Part of Stokes' legacy is a reminder to think about how we address issues to benefit us all.[13]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Cleveland 1968–1971 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Seychelles 1994–1995 | Succeeded by Brent E. Blaschke (Chargé d'affaires) |
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| Other | |
