June 30 is now Carl B. Stokes Day in Cleveland, honoring the city’s first Black mayor. City leaders made it official Monday with a celebration at Cleveland City Hall.
Elected in 1967 at the height of the American Civil Rights Movement, Stokes became the city’s 51st mayor and the first Black mayor of any large American city.
“Most folks in this country look at places like Montgomery and Selma as the birthplace of Black political power and the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, but I think starting today, the world is going to know that Cleveland is the birthplace of Black political power in this country,” Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said.
Some of Stokes’ children, grandchildren and great grandchildren attended the inaugural Carl B. Stokes Day celebration…