After inheriting a city in default, he renegotiated the municipal debt and reorganized City Hall. It was the first airport to be located in a downtown in the country. When Stokes was informed of the assassination, he acted quickly to keep the peace in Cleveland. Later he was a newscaster, judge, and US ambassador. After earning his high-school diploma, he studied law at the University of Minnesota (B.S., 1954) and Cleveland-Marshall Law School (LL.B., 1956). The city elected Carl Stokes as mayor in 1967, making him the first African-American mayor of a major city in the United States. He lost his father when he was very young. His father, Charles . 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. Bingham moved to New Orleans in 1863 and died there in 1867. Today, brothers Carl B. Stokes and Congressman Louis Stokes are both honored at the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta, a partnership with the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. He was 68. Carl was a heavy reader of all books. He taught Cordell about his personal heroes, starting at a young age. Cordell describes two key life lessons that Carl and Louis Stokes impressed upon him. Stokes began his law career as an assistant prosecutor. He had to get me off the court because I was laughing. Raymond T. Miller was the first mayor of Cleveland after the city abandoned its city manager form of government. As mayor, Brownell "supported city departments, new schools, new sewers, and loans for area roads," according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Other times, he and his stepbrother regularly join their friend on his boat. Edward Blythin was born in Wales and was in his early 20s before moving to Cleveland. Mr. Stokes, who was the United States Ambassador to the Seychelles but had taken a medical leave of absence last year after being told he had cancer of the esophagus, died shortly after 5 A.M. at Cleveland Clinic, according to a spokeswoman for the hospital. Herman M. Chapin was elected mayor even though he didn't know he was in the running. Cleveland State University / Michael Schwartz Library Brothers Carl and Louis Stokes rose from their childhood in Cleveland's public housing to become influential Black politicians. Legal Notice | Privacy Policy, Mather House, Room 308 Stokes attempted to reform the department, believing they were unresponsive to the people's needs, but was unsuccessful. New York-born Irvine U. He recalled, I had felt inadequate in my life before, but not inferior. He won this election in 1967 by defeating Seth Taft who was the grandson of President William H. Taft. He will always be known for the city going into default as a result of his refusal to sell the publicly owned Muny Light electric utility to the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. The first permanent bridge across the Cuyahoga River was built during his term. [1][2] His election came alongside the election of Richard G. Hatcher in the 1967 Gary, Indiana mayoral election. He started the Lake Erie Iron Co. and after the Civil War went to Prussia to learn more about its iron and steel operations. The US Federal Courthouse Tower in downtown Cleveland, completed in 2002, was named the Carl B. Stokes Federal Court House Building. John H. Farley was known as "Honest John" when he was first took office as mayor of Cleveland in 1883. At the same time, he was also an active member of the Democratic Party. The family lived in local housing projects on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. His father was co-owner of the city's first lumberyard. Frederick Kohler served as chief of police under Cleveland Mayor Tom Johnson and was considered a "strict disciplinarian," according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. He was very supportive and engaged. There Charles Stokes was a sharecropper and part-time preacher, while Louise was a cook on a plantation. Cleveland, Buhrer grew up on a communal farm in Zoar as a member of the Society of Separatists. By the 1980s, the environmental justice movement helped broaden environmentalism. During his tenure as mayor, he took initiatives to improve the economic condition of Cleveland. 21 June 192 7 in Cleveland, Ohio; d. 3 April 1996 in Cleveland, Ohio), first African American mayor of a major U.S. city, Cleveland, Ohio. Carl Stokes doesn't sit back. He lost his father when he was very young. The MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION OF CARL B. STOKES (1967-1971) was marked by progress, controversy, and the unrest prevalent in many urban areas of the U.S. Stokes, a graduate of CLEVELAND MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL, was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1957 and served as an asst. Born in the poor black neighborhood of Central in 1927, Carl Stokes was only 2 when his father, Charles, a laundry worker, died. Frank Lausche named him to fill the unexpired term of Robert Taft, who had died. This influential American politician used to deliver newspapers and work in local stores to support his family while he was very young. Born as Carl Burton Stokes in a black family of Cleveland, Carl was the second son of Charles, a laundryman and Louise Stokes, a cleaning woman. Carl Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland, USA, 1960 - 070016 - YouTube Carl Stokes was an American politician and diplomat of the Democratic Party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland,. Carl B. Stokes served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. As Cleveland's police commissioner, he ended a practice of keeping the press out of hearings. Cordell shared his thoughts on Carls political legacy. Masters, who resigned after contracting tuberculosis. Born Carl Burton Stokes June 2, 1927, in Cleveland, the future lawyer and politician resided with his mother and brother in the Outhwaite Homes, the city's first federally funded housing project . His business interests included the Lorain Steel Co. A friend of noted economist and free trader Henry George, Johnson campaigned for "just taxation" as mayor (serving from 1901 to 1909) and initiated the Group Plan of the Public Buildings that still bracket the downtown mall. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. I wanted the fun and the release as much as any man there, but I wasnt going to go looking for it at the cost of humiliation or bodily harm. After his training, he was stationed in New Jersey, France, and Germany. Carl B. Stokes was the first African American Mayor of not only Cleveland but of a major American city. After leaving office, he was appointed secretary of war by then-President Woodrow Wilson. [7] Despite fallout over the Glenville shootout, Stokes pulled through and was reelected in 1969. After serving here for three terms, he lost the Cleveland mayoral election in 1965. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Frank Lausche took over as Cleveland mayor in 1942. Davis had a greater number of combined first-, second- and third-place votes. . Josiah Harris was a boy when his family moved to Lorain County from Massachusetts. King's words clearly didn't fall on deaf ears because, in November of 1967, Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, the first black person ever to lead a major metropolitan city. He left the mayors post in 1971. Promises of Power (1973). Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Cordell was only four when his parents divorced, and his father was given custody of the children. Carl and Louis both ensured that Cordell knew he would need to develop his own talents. Equality. Long appreciated as a civil rights leader, Carl Stokes has only recently been recognized for his pioneering role in the environmental movement. Cordell remembered his father as someone who perfected the balance of his career with a disciplined family life. He worked for three years as an agent for Ohio's State Department of Liquor Control, and then returned to school at the University of Minnesota, where he earned a bachelor's of science degree in law in 1954. His second two-year term, 1891-92, "was the first under a new charter granted by the state known as the federal plan of government," according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. When Cleveland went into default in 1978, Mayor George Voinovich maintained the city's financial slide had started with poor managerial moves by Mr. Stokes, who rejected the notion. During that time he lead a committee to find a location for the Superior Viaduct. They divorced and then remarried. Now youre the chief executive of the city, eighth largest at that time. A native Clevelander, Jackson attended public schools in the city and holds bachelor's, master's and a law degrees from Cleveland State University - the latter from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. According to Cordell, Carl was always doing something in his spare time. ", "I went into every white home that would let me in there and every hall that would have me," he said. To help us better interpret Carls legacy, Cuyahoga Valley National Park recorded an oral history with his son Cordell Stokes in 2021. It was only a few years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was a private and trained at Fort McClellan in Alabama. He was first elected in 1915, even though an opponent received more first-place votes. Lorenzo A. Kelsey, a New York native, was in the lumber business in Youngstown, ran hotels in Cleveland and then became a steamship captain. He was reelected in 1969 but retired from politics in 1971. With Raija, he had a daughter, Cynthia and a stepson, Sasha Kostadinov. Stokes feuded with City Council and the Police Department for much of his tenure. In 1967, he lost in the Democratic primary to Carl B. Stokes, the first black mayor of a major American city. In 1957 he passed the bar and the following year was appointed assistant city prosecutor in Cleveland. Perhaps Stokes' greatest legacy was his work to save and preserve Cleveland's Cuyahoga River. He sought re-election but was defeated. A number of capital improvements were initiated under Voinovich, including the city's signature Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. He was a city councilman before becoming mayor in 1867 and serving through 1870. Read more online about Clevelands Original Black Leader John O. Holly. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. They go out into the middle of Lake Erie where Cordell will jump in and swim. Otis Moss. 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. We would go out hunting off of that. He became a partner in a banking firm and then a member of City Council before running unopposed for mayor. Nationally, the development was among the first to receive federal funding from the new Public Works Administrationduring the Great Depression. Stokes served two terms as Clevelands mayor, 1968-1972. He was known as a "firm but fair" justice of the peace, according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case was the first mayor of Cleveland to have been born in the city. He cut taxes and reduced debt during his time in office. It was Carl who worked for opening City Hall jobs for black people. Im a big health nut. He eventually dropped out of high school in 1944 to work for Clevelands Otis Steel Foundry and later Thompson Aircraft Company. Later, as Cleveland City Council president, he greeted Abraham Lincoln when he visited Cleveland in February of 1861. During this time, he was actively involved in various civil rights activities. I had always known how to work at being the equal of anyone else, even if I did not succeed. I was a good tennis player. Carl and Shirley Stokes cast their votes for Cleveland mayor on Election Day 1967. Carl B. Stokes, lawyer, anchorman, U.S. diplomat and the first African American mayor of a major U.S. city, was born on June 21, 1927 to Charles and Louise Stokes in Cleveland, Ohio. He also pushed for the establishment of the city's first waterworks. The president was shot April 14, 1865, and died the following morning. funds. What kinds of personal experiences shaped Carl Stokes? In 1967 Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, the first African American to win such office in a major U.S. city. On the night of his election victory in 1967, Mr. Stokes told a crowd of cheering supporters that he had never before then known "the full meaning of the words 'God Bless America.' [1], Stokes was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. A son, George, who dropped the "e" from his last name, would later become governor of Ohio. Cleveland, Stokes unseated incumbent mayor Ralph S. Locher in the Democratic Party primary. Later, he attended the Cleveland-Marshall Law School from where he earned his JD degree in 1956. Later he was a newscaster, judge, and US ambassador. He supported the Union cause and helped support soldiers' families. Humbleness is number one. In 1944, Stokes dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and worked briefly for Cleveland-based aerospace and automotive company Thompson Products/TRW before enlisting in the US Army in 1945. Stokes was the first elected African American mayor of a major American city (Cleveland was, at the time, the ninth largest city in the United States). Jane Campbell, the city's only female mayor, served four years during a time of relatively poor economic conditions. He was elected municipal court judge in 1983 and in 1994 was appointed U.S. ambassador to the Seychelles. Born in 1927 to Charles and. The first mayor of Cleveland, John W. Willey served from 1836 to 1837. William R. Hopkins was Cleveland's first city manager, a coalition-elected position that essentially replaced the position of mayor for a brief period in the city's history. He said after his election that white opponents thought the city's overwhelming white majority would give them an easy time, but "Carl Stokes fooled them. Throughout the remainder of his time as mayor, Stokes aimed to reform the Cleveland Police Department. He is of the few American politicians whose career spanned all three branches of government serving as mayor, Ohio legislator, and municipal court judge. Carl B. Stokes, Michael White, Frank Jackson, and current Mayor Justin Bibb are part of Cleveland's history of Black mayors. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Many thought that the progress recently achieved by civil rights leaders would slowly be undone. Before George Voinovich moved on to the U.S. Senate, he was mayor of Cleveland for the entire decade of the 80s. Carl Stokes and his brother Louis Stokes were raised in . He pushed for the creation of the Cleveland House of Correction & Workhouse. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Stokes, Ohio History Central - Biography of Carl B. Stokes, Carl Stokes - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Updated: 6:32 PM EST February 3, 2022 CLEVELAND Carl Burton Stokes, Cleveland's first Black mayor was also the nation's first Black mayor of a major city. Raised in a public housing project for the poor by their mother, Louise, a cleaning woman, the Stokes boys would help support the family by carrying newspapers and working in neighborhood stores. One headline read Dictatorship in Cleveland: Preview of Stokes and MLK As Mayor. Entering the Cleveland mayoral race in 1965 as an independent, Stokes narrowly lost to incumbent Democratic mayor LOCHER, RALPH, but he defeated Locher in the Democratic primary and won in the general election over Republican candidate Seth Taft in 1967, becoming the first black mayor of a major American city. But I wasnt mentally ready. He breathed his last in Cleveland. After Cleveland City Council removed its portion of a floating Detroit Street Bridge, residents of the west side of the river were enraged, calling for "two bridges or none." After serving as mayor (1843-1844), local political sentiment changed to Whig and Republican and Hayward was never again elected to public office. It focuses on how poor environmental conditions affect low-income and minority communities more than others. He also worked hard for the reorganization of the police department of Cleveland. . That's when Carl Stokes made history. Dennis Kucinich, known as "the boy mayor," took office at age 31 but served only asingle two-year term beginning in 1978. Celebrezze's popularity grew during office and he received nearly 74 percent of the vote in 1961. They have an 8-year-old daughter. Carl Burton Stokes (June 21, 1927 - April 3, 1996) was an American politician and diplomat of the Democratic Party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). From 1983 to 1994 he served as municipal judge in Cleveland. The first mayor of Cleveland, John W. Willey served from 1836 to 1837. After the mayoral form of government was reinstated several years later, he was again elected mayor of Cleveland, serving from 1934 through 1935. ( b. Carl B. Stokes was the first African American elected mayor of a major US city, serving in Cleveland from 1968 to 1971. "50 years ago: Cleveland's Carl Stokes elected first black mayor of a major U.S. city (vintage photos)", "A Turning Point: The Cleveland election watched around the world", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1967_Cleveland_mayoral_election&oldid=1063817276, November 1967 events in the United States, Articles with empty sections from May 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 January 2022, at 02:26. President Clinton then appointed him U.S. He was reelected in 1969. But I did not know how to cope with race prejudice. When the Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969, his Pollution Tour the following day brought international attention to the plight of industrial cities. More than two decades after the event, called the Glenville riots, Mr. Stokes's eyes would fill with tears as he described the "damn helplessness" he felt during the time. He worked as a bookkeeper and went to Cleveland Law School at night. . He coordinated with the citys police department to have an all-Black force on the East Side. 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. He was a rival of fellow Republican Marcus Hanna, losing out to Hanna in a bid to succeed John Sherman as U.S. senator from Ohio after Sherman was appointed secretary of state to President William McKinley. He was a customs collector and lighthouse superintendent during the administrations of presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. [1] While studying law, he served as a probation officer. Carl B. Stokes, whose election as the first black mayor of a major city in 1967 became a symbol of a changing America, died early yesterday in Cleveland. Cordell would fly to Washington D.C. or Cleveland to participate in his uncles political activities. They got divorced in 1993. View finding aid for the Carl B. Stokes Papers, Series II, WRHS. A voice of hope had been lost. He also volunteered to serve in the Civil War and was at times a member of the City Council and school board before becoming mayor in 1875 and serving through the end of 1876. The street where they grew up and prominent buildings in Cleveland are named for them. He later served as commandant of Camp Cleveland during the Civil War, and in 1864 was appointed mayor of Cleveland to take over for Irvine U. Stokes was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland.[11]. During that time he was involved in the creation of the Cleveland Electric Railway Co. Nathan P. Payne, a Democrat, was in the coal business prior to running for mayor. Stokes, Carl B. [2] After attending several colleges, he earned his bachelor's degree in 1954 from the University of Minnesota. The relationship between the mayor and the police department deteriorated after the shoot-out. As mayor, Stokes sought to improve Clevelands declining economy and to create racial unity. . [1] After earning his diploma at East Technical High School the following year, Stokes, who was inspired by civil rights activist Paul Robeson, decided to pursue a career in public service. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed him as the U.S. He was mayor when Cleveland Municipal Stadium was completed on the lakefront and later was instrumental in the creation of the Cleveland Browns. She often changed jobs to support the family. He became mayor of Cleveland the following year in 1855. Edward S. Flint served as mayor of Cleveland during the first half of the Civil War. The National Archives has historic documents and teacher resources about actor and activist Paul Robeson. Professor Canady instilled in him a passion for social activism and served as a mentor. His brother Carl Jr. (born in 1958) and his sister Cordi (born in 1961) grew up in the public eye during their fathers political career. President Bill Clinton appointed Stokes ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. Within months, this event grew from a local story about property damage to an international symbol of water pollution. Jackson was an assistant city prosecutor and served on City Council and as its president before becoming mayor. During that time he improved the city's port and ended a policy of having prostitutes register with the police. A political neophyte, he served as mayor of Cleveland from 1848-49 and went on to become more involved in the Democratic Party. Stokes was the first elected African American mayor of a major American city (Cleveland was, at the time, the ninth largest city in the United States). After Harry Davis resigned as Cleveland mayor to run for governor, then-law director William S. Fitzgerald completed Davis' unexpired term. A young child when his father died, Stokes held a number of odd jobs to help support his family. His autobiography, Promises of Power, was published in 1973. 30 years in the US House of Representatives, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. After returning to Cleveland in 1980, he practised as a labour lawyer. For generations, the Stokes lived in Georgia. The second event was Cleveland: Now!, an urban revitalization program that Stokes launched a month after Kings death. She suffered politically for her decisions to lay off police officers and firefighters and to support a construction of a Wal-Mart at Steelyard Commons. Carl B. Stokes, whose election as the first black mayor of a major city in 1967 became a symbol of a changing America, died early yesterday in Cleveland. Stokes left Cleveland to become a broadcaster at WNBC-TV in New York. OH Some you might know well, others you might be hearing about for the first time. After his two terms, Lausche was elected twice as Ohio governor and also to the U.S. Senate. Stokes experienced racial discrimination in the workplace. For 4 years he served as assistant prosecutor and became partner in the law firm of Stokes, Stokes, Character, and Terry, continuing that practice into his political career. Carl Stokes, in full Carl Burton Stokes, (born June 21, 1927, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.died April 3, 1996, Cleveland), American lawyer and politician, who became the first African American to serve as mayor of a major U.S. city, having been elected to that office in Cleveland, Ohio (196771). A Connecticut native and graduate of Harvard, John W. Allen came to Cleveland to study law in 1825. He ran a frugal ship and involved private organizations in helping those in need. 216.368.2000 Abner C. Brownell held office from 1852 through 1854. Five years later in 1967, he ran for mayor of Cleveland. In 1956, he graduated from the Cleveland State University College of Law and in 1957, was admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association. More than two decades after it was initially proposed, a plaza adjacent to the front . Castle had been mayor of Ohio City when it agreed to merge with Cleveland. "I didn't sit back. He also helped establish the Cleveland Board of Trade and organize the Cleveland Yacht Club. Civil Rights was the big movement. He graduated from CLEVELAND-MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL in 1956 and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1957. [4] History [ edit] Cleveland was established by General Moses Cleaveland and surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company on July 22, 1796. We had a cousin who lived up there and he had a cabin. Stokes was a busy student who was active in sports and clubs. OH Protest erupted throughout the United States. The ability to make sure our people had an opportunity to compete and be a part of the American dream. Cordell can see his fathers legacy in the many Black politicians who now hold public office. Carl Stokes, in full Carl Burton Stokes, (born June 21, 1927, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.died April 3, 1996, Cleveland), American lawyer and politician, who became the first African American to serve as mayor of a major U.S. city, having been elected to that office in Cleveland, Ohio (1967-71). Third persons won't have to tell me what's going on in our city. He later switched from the Whig Party to the Republican Party and was appointed Cleveland postmaster by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1870. Robert E. Blee worked for the railroad and oversaw in-state troop transportation during the Civil War. [3] Stoke's election came in a city which was, at the time, 68% white.[2]. By advocating for better conditions for poor people living in cities, they were pioneers in what is now called environmental justice. Carl B. Stokes is most famous for using the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire to advocate for a broad range of issues impacting the urban environment. He married Raija Kostadinov, a former Finnish model in 1981. This time it was time for me to serve. For three years, he worked as an agent for Ohios State Department of Liquor Control. When he became mayor of Cleveland for the first time in 1877, the economy was depressed as a result of the Panic of 1873. The biographical data on the mayors comes primarily from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, including those passages that are in quotes. They lived in the Outhwaite Homes Estates, Clevelands first public housing projects. Growing up with him in the big city of New York, especially in the 1970s. As part of his job, he took steps to increase the income tax of this city. You would stay a week in a cabin somewhere with other kids. During his two terms as mayor, Stokes opened city hall jobs to blacks and women, and introduced a number of urban revitalization programs (see MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION OF CARL B. STOKES). Finding aid for the Stokes Oral History Collection, WRHS. Thomas A. Burke became Cleveland mayor in 1946 and served for eight years. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It connected Cleveland with a section of Ohio City called Willeyville and benefited business interests of Willey and partner JamesS. Clark. From 1963 to 1968 he served in the Ohio House of Representatives. The majority of Clevelands African American population lived on the East Side. Castle was born in Vermont and lived in Toronto, Ontario, before coming to Cleveland. The camp always incorporated being able to introduce you into the wild. Stokes left the Ohio Congress and had a failed run for Cleveland mayor in 1965. A former city councilman, Flavel W. Bingham served only one year (1849) as Cleveland's mayor. "[1] He was known as a strong administrator and reformer, and is remembered for his vision and motivation. During his tenure, he was instrumental in expanding the Port of Cleveland, Burke Lakefront Airport and the Rapid train system. Choosing not to run for a third term in 1971, Stokes lectured around the country, then in 1972 became the first black anchorman in New York City when he took a job with television station WNBC. Carl Stokes, 68, Dies; Precedent-Setting Mayor, https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/04/us/carl-stokes-68-dies-precedent-setting-mayor.html. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He worked for the committees of judiciary, industry and labour and public welfare. Stokes married Shirley Edwards in 1958. His father was very much a leader, someone who was willing to put himself on the front line to help advance many of the causes important within the Civil Rights arena. [7] As mayor, he also played a pivotal role in the effort to restore Cleveland's Cuyahoga River in the aftermath of the river fire of June 1969 that brought national attention to the issue of industrial pollution in Cleveland. Corrections? After Morgan's two-year term, Cleveland returned to its mayoral form of government. After his discharge from the Army in 1946, he attended West Virginia College. 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. Carl B. Stokes was born in 1927 to Charles and Louise Stokes. First up, John W. Willey. He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave.
when was carl stokes mayor of cleveland