Stokes: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future

Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center

This collection of interviews was conducted by staff at Cuyahoga Community College's Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland. Mayor Stokes and his brother, Congressman Louis Stokes, played key roles in the advancement of the city and the nation through the civil rights movement and beyond. For more information about the project, please visit www.stokes50cle.com.

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Stokes: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future

Robert Madison was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1923. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University and Harvard, he was the first black man to become a registered architect in Ohio. He opened his firm in Cleveland in 1954 and has worked on major projects locally and worldwide. This 2017 interview was collected as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland.

Albert B. Ratner is a native Clevelander. He is an avid philanthropist and the co-chairman of Forest City Realty Trust, a nationwide real estate development firm. For twenty years he was the CEO of his family owned business Forest City Enterprises, Inc. This 2017 interview was collected as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland.

Angela Stokes is the daughter of Louis Stokes and a graduate of the University of Maryland and Howard University Law School. She was Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio and a Cleveland Municipal Court Judge for twenty years. This 2017 interview was collected as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland.

Ben S. Stefanski II was born in Garfield Heights and graduated from Case Western Reserve University and The University of Michigan. He served as Utilities Director for Carl Stokes and worked to combat pollution Lake Erie as well as developing the regional sewer system. This 2017 interview was collected as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland.

Betty Pinkney and her husband, Arnold, were long time advocates for the Stokes brothers. Arnold helped elect Louis to Congress and was a major strategist for the Democratic party. Arnold Pinkney, an insurance executive, also ran Jesse Jackson's national campaign for President in 1984. This 2017 interview was collected as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland.
Browse 38 interviews in collection