[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 173 (Thursday, November 8, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ELECTION OF CARL B. STOKES AS MAYOR OF CLEVELAND

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 8, 2007

  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, today I rise in honor of a 
personal hero, Carl B. Stokes. Today marks the 40th anniversary of his 
historic election as mayor of the city of Cleveland. The first African 
American mayor of a large American city, Carl Stokes was an inspiration 
not only to people of color, but all Americans.
  Carl Stokes was born June 21, 1927 in Cleveland, OH to Charles 
Stokes, a laundry worker, and Louise Stokes, a cleaning woman. His 
father died when he was two, leaving his mother to raise Carl, and his 
brother, my predecessor, former Congressman Louis Stokes, alone. They 
lived in Cleveland's first federally funded housing project for the 
poor Outhwaite Homes.
  Although a good student, Carl dropped out of high school in 1944. He 
worked briefly for Thompson Products before joining the U.S. Army at 
the age of 18. Following his discharge in 1946, Stokes returned to 
Cleveland and earned his high school diploma in 1947.
  He would attend several colleges before earning his bachelor's degree 
from the University of Minnesota in 1954. He went on to graduate 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, Character, and Terry, and continued to practice 
throughout his political career.
  In 1962, he became the first black elected to the Ohio House of 
Representatives, where he served for three terms. He made his first run 
for mayor of Cleveland in 1965, narrowly losing the bid. He would mount 
a second run in 1967 where he was able to mobilize both black and white 
voters to defeat Seth Taft, the grandson of a former U.S. president 
William Howard Taft, by a 50.5 majority. As mayor, Stokes opened city 
hall jobs to blacks and women and initiated Cleveland: Now!, a public 
and private funding program aimed at the revitalization of Cleveland 
neighborhoods. Additionally, the National League of Cities elected him 
as their first black president-elect. He was reelected in 1969, and in 
1971 chose not to run for a third term.

  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. He returned to 
Cleveland in 1980 and began serving as general legal counsel for the 
United Auto Workers.
  In 1983, he decided to run for the municipal court judgeship that I 
had vacated against an incumbent judge appointee. This election was the 
beginning of a long friendship that I could have never dreamed of or 
anticipated as a young volunteer on his 1967 campaign. From 1983 to 
1994 he in that seat 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.
  Along with all of Carl Stokes great achievements, he inspired a 
young, black college student who was volunteered to work on his 1967 
mayoral campaign to follow her dreams. He was a shining example for 
this young black woman, that through hard work and determination you 
could do the impossible. That young African American woman was me. I am 
able to serve here in Congress as the first African American woman 
elected to the House of Representatives from the state of Ohio, because 
Carl Stokes paved the way for me and many others. If there were no Carl 
Stokes, there would be no Stephanie Tubbs Jones. I am truly blessed to 
have been able to call him and his brother my friend. So, it is my 
honor and privilege to recognize this significant milestone today, and 
simply say, thank you Carl Stokes for your courage and tenacity forty 
years ago, and for inspiring me to follow my dreams.

                          ____________________