On November 5, 1968, Louis Stokes was elected Congressman of the 21st Congressional District of Ohio on his first try for public office. This 1969 newspaper article shows Congressman Stokes with his brother, and Cleveland’s first African American Mayor, Carl Stokes. They’re shown here in front of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C after his swearing into Congress. He began his tenure as a congressman in the US House of Representatives in 1969, at a time when there were only 7 African Americans serving, but as Stokes remarks in his book The Gentleman from Ohio, “I didn’t have any qualms that I’d be able to take my place there. I was ready to go to Washington—and go to work.” And he did just that.
Shown shortly after winning his first election, Louis Stokes is shown with his wife Jay and their four children. Stokes was very proud of his family, and said of his of his wife and of their 55 years of marriage “I can hardly believe my good fortune...my children, my inspirational wife…all I can say is that I have been more than fortunate; I have been blessed.” From r to l: Jay, Lori, Louis Sr., Shelley, Chuckie, and Angela.
Congressman Louis Stokes never lost an election; he was elected fifteen times and served for 30 years. For three decades the spotlight shined on Louis Stokes, Ohio’s first black congressman. He has said that his goal was to set a standard of hard work, ethics, and good character so that those who followed in his footsteps would need to demonstrate a higher level of service to their constituents. As a congressman Louis Stokes accomplished this and much more by making significant achievements in health care, education and employment, and racial injustice that continue to effect voters today
Louis Stokes never forgot his Cleveland roots. The congressman is shown here with students from The Law and Public Service Magnet School. Stokes was very involved and beloved in the community, and was known for his ability to talk with people from all walks of life. His legacy is honored through the naming of various Cleveland institutions like the Louis Stokes Laboratories at the National Institute of Health, the Louis Stokes wing of Cleveland Public Library, the Louis Stokes Head Start, the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, and the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere.
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.