Carl Stokes (1927-1996) was the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, from 1967-1971. Stokes was the first African American mayor of a major American city and the first African American Democrat in the Ohio State Legislature, where he served three terms from 1962-67. As mayor, Stokes launched a number of programs to alleviate the problems of urban decay. Chief among these was Cleveland: NOW!, a joint public and private program with plans to raise $177 million in its first two years to revitalize Cleveland. The program was discredited due to the Glenville Shootout in July, 1968. Under Stokes, Cleveland City Council passed the Equal Employment Opportunity Ordinance, and HUD resumed funding projects aiding in the construction of over 3,000 new low- and middle-income housing units. Stokes became a newscaster with NBC television in 1972, and returned to his law practice in Cleveland in 1980. In 1983, Stokes was elected a municipal court judge. The collection consists of formal individual portraits of Carl Stokes, individual and group portraits of the Stokes family and friends, city officials, local and national celebrities and political figures, and individual citizens. It also includes candid and formal group portraits and views of official functions of the mayor, functions of individual city departments and commissions, and local community groups. Included are portraits of Hubert H. Humphrey, Edmund Muskie, Rev. Billy Graham, Pope Paul VI, entertainers Bob Hope and Bill Cosby, and Congressmen Charles Vanik and Louis Stokes. Events depicted include Cleveland NOW! activities, urban renewal and housing rehabilitation, the Glenville shootout, and youth activities.
Carl Stokes (1927-1996) was the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, from 1967-1971. Stokes was the first African American mayor of a major American city and the first African American Democrat in the Ohio State Legislature, where he served three terms from 1962-1967. As mayor, Stokes launched a number of programs to alleviate the problems of urban decay. Chief among these was Cleveland: NOW!, a joint public and private program with plans to raise $177 million in its first two years to revitalize Cleveland. The program was discredited due to the Glenville Shootout in July, 1968. Under Stokes, Cleveland City Council passed the Equal Employment Opportunity Ordinance, and HUD resumed funding projects aiding in the construction of over 3,000 new low- and middle-income housing units. Stokes became a newscaster with NBC television in 1972, and returned to his law practice in Cleveland in 1980. In 1983, Stokes was elected a municipal court judge. The collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, and newspaper clippings pertaining to the political career of Carl B. Stokes, including his terms in the Ohio State legislature, his mayoral campaigns, and particularly his tenure as mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. The collection details the organization of the mayor's office, and illustrates the problems that Blacks in the vanguard of social and political progress faced, as well as the challenges faced by any urban leader in the turbulent 1960s and early 1970s. Key events in Stokes' administration are illustrated, including the Glenville Shootout, the hiring and resignation of Safety Director Gen. Ben Davis, the activities of the Mayor's Council on Youth Opportunities, and Cleveland: NOW! The work of then City Council President James Stanton is represented, along with material relating to Stokes' brother Louis. Notable correspondents include Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Robert F. Kennedy, Spiro Agnew, Cyrus Eaton, Edward Kennedy, George Forbes, Jesse Jackson, and Howard Metzenbaum.
Wow Factor, 150 Years of Collecting Bold Clothes showcases gems of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s costume collection, on display in the Chisholm Halle Costume Wing. “Wow factor” is clothing’s ability to inspire feelings of wonder and awe. These emotions are triggered by beauty, craftsmanship, rarity, and humor. Through delicate textiles, bold color, a surprising silhouette, and glittering sequins, each of these qualities entices the viewer and empowers the wearer. It takes bold people to wear these clothes. Although the collection contains menswear and children’s clothing, Wow Factor highlights women, so often left out by the historical record. This collection celebrates women who are immigrants, scholars, travelers, artists, designers, philanthropists, and CEOs. They are Jewish, Jordanian, Japanese, African American, and transgender. Above all, they are Clevelanders.
Ruby L. Terry was a former engineer and marketing executive for Bell Laboratories and the Ohio Bell Telephone Company, later Ameritech/SBC, and currently AT&T. She was responsible for generating $300 million in annual revenues from the engineering of large communication systems for such corporations as East Ohio Gas, Cleveland Clinic, Timken Company, and Goodyear Tire and Rubber. She also was assigned by her division engineer to design the first cable television system for cities in the northern and southern Ohio Bell service area. As an engineer in the late 1960s and early 1970s, she had to overcome many obstacles as both an African-American and as a woman.This oral history was conducted by Celeste Terry, daughter of Ruby Terry, at Western Reserve Historical Society on July 28, 2018.
Explore the life of one of Cleveland’s most impactful community builders, Rev. Emmitt Theophilus Caviness. His move from Texas to Cleveland in 1961 brought him to the Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church in Cleveland’s Glenville Community where he continues to marry social activism and spirituality today. His friendship with Martin Luther King and his own beliefs in the power of nonviolent protest propelled Rev. Caviness to the forefront of activism in 1960s Cleveland. He is an agent of change for Cleveland, playing an instrumental role in the election of African American politicians, including Carl Stokes as the first black mayor of a major U.S. city. Discover his role in the Civil Rights Movement and learn about his dedication to family and community engagement.
Ruby L. Terry was a former engineer and marketing executive for Bell Laboratories and the Ohio Bell Telephone Company, later Ameritech/SBC, and currently AT&T. She was responsible for generating $300 million in annual revenues from the engineering of large communication systems for such corporations as East Ohio Gas, Cleveland Clinic, Timken Company, and Goodyear Tire and Rubber. She also was assigned by her division engineer to design the first cable television system for cities in the northern and southern Ohio Bell service area. As an engineer in the late 1960s and early 1970s, she had to overcome many obstacles as both an African-American and as a woman. This oral history was conducted by Celeste Terry, daughter of Ruby Terry, at Western Reserve Historical Society on July 28, 2018.
A handwritten letter thanking Hannah Gould for her "beautiful ode" along with the cloth banner printed with her poem., Letter: 26 x 41 cm
Banner: 27 x 18 cm