Article and video about Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland during 1967. Story written by Margaret Bernstein, The Plain Dealer
Category: Carl Stokes – Civil Rights 1960’s
Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland: Hear His Voice Ring Out Again – Plain Dealer
Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland: Hear His Voice Ring Out Again – Plain Dealer
Photos of Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland – Plain Dealer
Photos of Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland from the Plain Dealer.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at Glenville High School preserved on little-known recording (audio) – Plain Dealer
Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at Glenville High School preserved on little-known recording (audio) – by Margaret Bernstein from the Plain Dealer.
Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland: How The Plain Dealer Covered Him
Martin Luther King Jr. in Cleveland: How The Plain Dealer Covered Him
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Website that allows digital access to the works and papers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Excellent search function allows students to research Cleveland oriented material.
The Glenville Shootout from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
The Glenville Shootout from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
The GLENVILLE SHOOTOUT (23-28 July 1968) was a violent episode that began the evening of 23 July as an action against CLEVELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT by an armed, purposeful black militant group, which resulted in casualties on both sides. Although it was not clear who shot first on the evening of 23 July, there was an exchange of gunfire between police and Fred “Ahmed” Evans and his radical militants.
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Before the night was over, 7 people were dead: 3 policemen, 3 suspects, and 1 civilian; and 15 were wounded. When it became clear that the police were neither trained nor equipped to handle the disorders, Mayor Carl Stokes requested and received the assistance of the Natl. Guard that following day. Stokes believed that putting AFRICAN AMERICANS in control of their own community would prevent further bloodshed, and the afternoon of 24 July he decided only black policemen and black community leaders would be allowed in Glenville with the rest of the police and the guard stationed on the perimeter of the cordoned-off area. There was no more loss of life; however, there was continued looting and arson in the 6 sq. mi. area. After the Natl. Guard and the police reentered Glenville the following day, a curfew was established and the vandalism gradually diminished and order was restored 3 days later on 28 July. During the violence, 63 businesses were damaged with a total loss set at $2.6 million. Evans surrendered to the police the morning of 24 July, a day after the shooting began.
The Hough Riots from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
The Hough Riots from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
The HOUGH RIOTS, 18-24 July 1966, were a spontaneous outbreak of violence characterized by vandalism, looting, arson, and sporadic gunfire. Although there had been racial disturbances earlier in the summer, these events proved to be more serious and widespread. The riots were sparked by a dispute over a glass of water at the Seventy-Niners Cafe at Hough Ave. and E. 79th St. on the evening of 18 July, which escalated until the police were unable to deal with the situation. As the crowd grew larger, rock throwing, looting, and vandalism gradually spread throughout the Hough area. The following evening the violence was repeated, with fires set in the area as well as reports of sniper fire.
At the request of Mayor Ralph Locher, the Natl. Guard moved into HOUGH on the morning of 20 July to restore order, and the mayor closed all bars and taverns. After a major fire at Cedar and E. 106th on the 21st, things slowly returned to normal. On Monday, 25 July, those stores in the Hough area that had escaped serious damage reopened, and the Natl. Guard was gradually released from duty. During the riots, 4 people were killed, about 30 were injured, close to 300 were arrested, and approx. 240 fires were reported. There was no evidence that the riots had been planned or controlled by radical groups in Cleveland. However, once they began extremists were in a position to exploit them. The events in Hough were part of a national pattern of racial tension and frustration which produced violence in many parts of the country in 1966.
Carl B. Stokes from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
Carl B. Stokes from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
STOKES, CARL B. (21 June 1927 – 3 April 1996) became the first black mayor of a major U.S. city when he was elected mayor of Cleveland in November 1967. He later became a news anchorman, judge, and a United States Ambassador. He was born in Cleveland to Charles Stokes, a laundry worker who died when Carl was two years old, and Louise (Stone) Stokes, a cleaning woman who then raised Carl and his brother Louis in Cleveland’s first federally funded housing project for the poor, Outhwaite. Although a good student, Stokes dropped out of high school in 1944, worked briefly at Thompson Products (see TRW, INC.), then joined the U.S. Army at age 18. After his discharge in 1946, Stokes returned to Cleveland and earned his high school diploma in 1947. He then attended several colleges before earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 1954. He graduated from CLEVELAND-MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL in 1956 and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1957. 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.
Elected the first black Democrat to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1962, he served 3 terms and narrowly lost a bid for mayor of Cleveland in 1965. His victory two years later drew national attention. Able to mobilize both black and white voters, he defeated Seth Taft, the grandson of a former U.S. president, with a 50.5 majority. He was reelected in 1969. 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). 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. He returned to Cleveland in 1980 and began serving as general legal counsel for the UNITED AUTO WORKERS union. From 1983 to 1994 he served as municipal judge in Cleveland. President Clinton then appointed him U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. 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. In 1970, the National League of Cities voted him its first black president-elect.
Stokes married Shirley Edwards in 1958. They were divorced in 1973. In 1981, he married Raija Kostadinov, whom he divorced in 1993 and remarried in 1996. He had three children from his first marriage: Carl Jr., Cordi, and Cordell, and a daughter, Cynthia, and stepson, Sasha Kostadinov, from his second marriage. He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. He returned to Cleveland and died at the Cleveland Clinic.
History Day Website on The Cuyahoga River Fire
Website produced by Joan Colleran and Sachi Gosain for History Day 2011 on the Cuyahoga River Fire.