Black History Month: Carl B. Stokes—America's First Black Mayor

February is Black History Month, and it's only fitting to mention Carl B. Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland from 1967 to 1971. Stokes is widely held to be the first Black mayor of a major American city (although Flint, MI had a black mayor in 1966.)

Stokes didn't stop with politics. After his term as mayor, he moved to New York City, where he became the first Black television anchor in that city. After 11 years in broadcasting, Stokes returned to Cleveland, where he became a municipal judge. In 1993, President Clinton appointed Carl Stokes as ambassador to the Seychelles. He passed away in 1996 and is buried in Cleveland's Lake View Cemetery ^{(Public Domain Photo)}