[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13841]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING CONGRESSMAN LOUIS STOKES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 8, 2015

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and service of a 
good friend, Congressman Louis Stokes. He was the voice of the people 
of Cleveland, Ohio in the House of Representatives for 30 years and 
will be missed by every person he touched. Although I never had the 
privilege of serving with Lou, he was a dear friend to my husband and 
they did much good work together on many critical issues, including 
civil rights. I will always remember him for his thoughtfulness, 
graciousness, and integrity.
  Born on February 23, 1925 in Cleveland, Congressman Stokes revealed 
the true nature of his character at an early age when he started 
shining shoes and clerking at an Army/Navy store to supplement the 
income of his widowed mother. A man dedicated to public service, he 
served our nation honorably in the U.S. Army and continued his service 
when he returned home through working at the VA and Treasury Department 
offices in Cleveland. He also made a name for himself as a civil rights 
lawyer while working for the Cleveland NAACP, and ran for Congress 
successfully in 1968.
  In Congress, Lou was a strong voice for minorities and the 
disadvantaged. A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, 
Congressman Stokes served as Chairman of the group for two consecutive 
terms beginning in 1972. Through his seat on the Appropriations 
Committee, Congressman Stokes advanced civil rights in this country by 
fighting against segregation and in support of affirmative action and 
fair housing. His legacy on these issues can still be felt today.
  Congress would do good to follow the example that Congressman Stokes 
set for all of us--that what matters most in this body is that you put 
your head down, do what is right for your constituents, and vote your 
conscience. The thing I remember most about Lou is that he never forgot 
where he came from and always put the people of Cleveland first. My 
thoughts and prayers are with the Stokes family during this difficult 
time. It is my hope that all members of this Congress will be inspired 
by the great example that Congressman Louis Stokes set for all of us 
and by the contributions he made to this country.