Page 14 - BHM Program 2021
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Congressman Louis Stokes
1925-2015
One of the 13 founders of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971,
Representative Louis Stokes was the first Black congressman from Ohio. He
represented Cleveland in the U.S. House from 1969 until his retirement in 1999.
“When I started this journey, I realized that I was the first Black American ever to
hold this position in this state,” he told a newspaper reporter. “I had to write the
book … I was going to set a standard of excellence that would give any
successor something to shoot for.”
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