Jan. 25 event at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus launches yearlong Stokes commemoration

In Their Footsteps: Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson Discusses Legacy of Carl and Louis Stokes

HIGHLAND HILLS — January 20, 2017 - Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson will reflect on the legacies of Carl and Louis Stokes in a program launching a yearlong commemoration of the two historic civic leaders.

The event – titled In Their Footsteps – will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at the Eastern Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).

The one-hour program is part of Stokes: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future, a yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes’ historic election as mayor of Cleveland.

Jackson and former Sound of Applause host Dee Perry will explore how Mayor Stokes and his brother, Congressman Louis Stokes, overturned racial barriers and inspired hope with their elections.

Cleveland voters made Carl Stokes the first African-American mayor of a major U.S. city in 1967. A year later, Louis Stokes became Ohio’s first African-American congressman.

Together, the Stokes brothers played key roles in the civil rights movement through advocacy and action. Their many accomplishments set the framework for the long-term viability of Cleveland.

The event featuring Mayor Jackson is free, but tickets are required for admission. To reserve a seat, visit www.stokes50cle.com/events.

Tri-C’s Eastern Campus is located at 4250 Richmond Road in Highland Hills. The program will be held in the Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre within the Mandel Humanities Center. Parking is free.

In Their Footsteps is being presented by Cuyahoga Community College, The City Club of Cleveland, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and John Carroll University.

Media inquiries should be addressed to: john.horton@tri-c.edu, 216-987-4281