The congressman’s daughter, former Cleveland judge Angela Stokes, is shown pictured here in a Plain Dealer article about children from political families. Louis Stokes was proud of his family and considered family one of the pillars of a life fulfilled, the others being meaningful work and friendships. Stokes tried to instill in his children and family the spiritual strength and values that his mother had instilled in him and his brother. He said of his mother “She gave us the grit to overcome our poverty...she insisted to Carl and me that we needed to educate ourselves in order to grasp onto a better life.”
Never one to mince words, as a ranking black member of Congress, Stokes was frequently vocal and critical of presidential policies. Stokes perceived his role in Congress as a champion of the underclass, and that remained his focus for his entire congressional career. Early on Stokes battled a number of conservative movements, such as the Nixon Administration's attempts to weaken the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which enabled blacks to take full advantage of their voting rights. Stokes also vocalized concerns that the Reagan administration was intent on rolling back minority gains made in the 1960's and 1970's. He also advocated for more funding for minority colleges, affirmative action programs, housing and urban development projects, and initiatives to improve access to health care for the poor and working-class.
During his time as a congressman house leaders frequently called upon Strokes’ due to his demeanor of stability, trustworthiness, and competency. Louis Stokes would go on to serve and chair many committees during his career, including the prestigious Appropriations committee, the House Select Committee on Assassinations, the Education and Labor committee, and the Ethics Committee. He eventually became an Appropriations subcommittee chair, or “Cardinal,” for the Veterans, HUD, and Independent Agencies—controlling more than $90 billion annually in federal money. Stokes was the second African American “Cardinal” ever.
Backed by the political muscle of the Twenty-First Congressional District Caucus, which served as his base throughout his political career, Louis Stokes never lost an election. The caucus provided the support structure that he needed, replacing the Democratic political machine. His support within the black community was outstanding, earning endorsements from the Call and Post, Cleveland’s local black newspaper at the time, and the local ministers and church community.
Louis Stokes positioned himself as a political standout by becoming a founding member of the Twenty-First District Caucus, alongside his brother Carl Stokes, Arnold Pinkney, and George Forbes. The Twenty-First District Caucus’ aim was to structure and use independent black political power to benefit its constituents. Most black voters were loyal to the Democratic Party, but the caucus asserted that black voters should not be loyal to either party, but support only those candidates who responded to their community needs. The caucus would only work to elect those working in their best interest, and work just as hard to defeat those who did not.
16mm black and white silent film, undated, showing unidentified male singing group at WHK radio station, followed by footage of people picnicking at a park.
Black and white group photograph of African American Civil War veterans posing in front of Lawnfield. Group is not identified. "Copyright and published by J. F. Ryder, Cleveland, Ohio.", Without frame border, approximately 9.5 x 14 in., Featured in the "Cleveland Starts Here" Exhibit
Revereand Charles Lucas, Jr., was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. He is the pastor of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church. During the 1970s, Rev. Lucas was president of the Cleveland Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
George L. Forbes was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He has owned a law firm in Cleveland, Ohio, since 1971. He was a city councilman during 1963-1989 and served as the first black council president during his last eighteen years in office. Mr. Forbes was elected president of the Cleveland NAACP in 1992 and was appointed to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation in 1995.
Angela Stokes is the daughter of Louis Stokes and a graduate of the University of Maryland and Howard University Law School. She was Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio, and a Cleveland Municipal Court Judge for twenty years.
Robert Madison was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1923. He was a decorated soldier during World War II and graduated from Western Reserve University and Harvard. Mr. Madison was the first African American to become a registered architect in the state of Ohio. He opened his firm in Cleveland in 1954 and has worked on major projects locally and worldwide. He served on Carl Stokes initial mayoral election campaign as a speech writer.
Richard Peery is a retired reporter from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He is also a former reporter for the Call and Post newspaper. Raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he has lived in Cleveland, Ohio, for 40 years, and served as president of the Writer's Guild union at the Plain Dealer, and has continued his activism in the community.
Walter Beach III was born in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1933. Before attending college, Beach served in the U.S. Air force, spending three years in Germany as a cryptographer. He graduated from Central Michigan University and played defensive back in both the Canadian and National Football Leagues, including with the the Cleveland Browns during the team's 1964 Championship season. He served as the director for Countil for Youth Opportunities during Carl Stokes' mayoral administration. He is a lawyer and author.
Steven Bullock was born in Halifax County, North Carolina, the grandson of a former slave. He was the CEO of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the American Red Cross from 1982 and was named acting president of the national agency for 1999. He also served on a number of boards of directors, including the Greater Cleveland Roundtable, the Cleveland Campaign, and Leadership Cleveland. In 2001, Bullock founded the Bullock Group, a management consulting company for non-profit and public institutions.
Betty Pinkney and her husband, Arnold, were long time advocates for Carl and Louis Stokes. Arnold helped with Louis Stoke's election to Congress and was a major strategist for the Democratic party. Arnold Pinkney, an insurance executive, also ran Jesse Jackson's national campaign for president in 1984.
Shelley Stokes-Hammond is the oldest daughter of Louis Stokes. She is a graduate of Ohio University and Goucher College. She is a historic preservationist, author, and public relations manager at Howard University.
The United States House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was established in 1976 and Louis Stokes was appointed by Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill to serve as the chairman. As the chairman he oversaw the high profile assassination investigations, and hearings, of both John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. who were assassinated in 1963 and 1968, respectively. Under his leadership the committee found that both murders possibly involved multiple assassins, but concluded there was no evidence to support conspiracy theories involving domestic or foreign governments. Shown here, a poster for the Distinguished Lecture Series hosted by Georgia State University.