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Louis Stokes played a pivotal role in the quest for civil
rights, equality and social and economic justice throughout his tenure
in the United States Congress.
Mr. Stokes was educated in the Cleveland Public Schools,
graduating from Central High School. Following three years of service
in the United States Army, he returned to Cleveland and attended
Western Reserve University. He earned his Doctor of Laws Degree from
Cleveland Marshall Law School in 1953.
Prior to serving in Congress, Mr. Stokes practiced law for
14 years and was one of the founders of Stokes, Character, Terry,
Perry, Whitehead, Young and Davidson law firm. As a practicing lawyer,
Mr. Stokes participated in three cases in the United States Supreme
Court, including arguing the landmark "stop and frisk" case of Terry v.
Ohio. On November 6, 1968, Mr. Stokes was elected to the United States
Congress and became the first African American member of Congress from
the State of Ohio. He served 15 consecutive terms in the U.S. House of
Representatives, ranking 11th overall in House seniority.
During his tenure in Congress, Mr. Stokes chaired several important
committees, including, most notably, the House Select Committee on
Assassinations, the Ethics Committee, the House Intelligence Committee,
and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, HUD and
Independent Agencies. He was the dean of the Ohio Congressional
Delegation, a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and he
served on the House Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms
Transactions with Iran. His work in the area of health led to his
appointment as a member of the Pepper Commission on Comprehensive
Health Care, and he was the founder and chairman of the Congressional
Black Caucus Health Braintrust.
When Mr. Stokes retired, he became the first African American in the
history of the U.S. Congress to retire having completed 30 years in
office. Following his service in Congress, he became senior counsel at
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P., a global law firm, and senior
visiting scholar at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case
Western Reserve University. He has been appointed to serve as vice
chairman of the PEW Environmental Health Commission at the Johns
Hopkins School of Public Health and was appointed by former Health and
Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala as chairman of the Advisory
Committee on Minority Health.
Through the years, Mr. Stokes has received numerous awards and honors
that recognize his national leadership and strong commitment to public
service. A number of landmarks around the city now bear his name.
Several institutions, including Howard University in Washington, D.C.,
and the National Institutes of Health, have recognized Mr. Stokes by
naming certain buildings on their campuses after him. He is the
recipient of 26 honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and
universities across the nation.
Source: http://msass.case.edu/stokes/stokesbio.html
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