Emmitt Theophilus Caviness purchased the suit shown here (on the right) for his wedding to James Lee Pitts on June 15, 1952. After this momentous occasion, he wore the ensemble to formal affairs, Pastors’ Anniversaries, and political functions until the 1970s. In the image here, he is pictured with Cleveland’s Mayor, Carl Stokes, who was elected in 1968. In that election, Rev. Caviness partnered with Cleveland’s African American religious leaders to mobilize voters to secure the Stokes win., Courtesy of Rev. E. Theophilus Caviness
Louis Stokes ‘political legacy encompasses his career as an attorney, a civil rights activist, and pioneer in black politics. As Ohio’s first black congressman, he was elected fifteen times and served for 30 years. This exhibit offers a glimpse into his scrapbooks, which chronicles his career from the very beginning to the end. Within the pages of his 30 volume scrapbook collection you begin to see that his life and legacy is a true testament to the notion ‘It’s not how you start but how you finish. Please enjoy this photographic journey of a man who was a patriot, an icon, and a Clevelander.
Preview of Chairman Stokes notes for questioning the F.B.I. during the House Select Committee on Assassinations. Cover page and first page are scanned as a preview of the document. Louis Stokes manuscript collection being processed.