Nancy Pelosi: “Mr. Chairman, although I have only had the privilege of serving with Mr. Stokes for the past 11 years, our families go…”

“Mr. Chairman, although I have only had the privilege of serving with Mr. Stokes for the past 11 years, our families go way back. And so it is a personal as well as congressional privilege to rise and pay homage to him. Since the time has been shortened, I will have to associate myself with the remarks of our colleagues who have gone before and just to say that the Stokes name is legendary in my family. My brother, Thomas D'Alesandro, III, served with Carl Stokes as mayors in the late 1960s and 1970s, those difficult urban years. Carl Stokes was one of the first black mayors of a big American city, mayor of Cleveland. And Lou Stokes, there are some people who are just born with a special grace and those of us who are fortunate to work with them know who they are. Every day that we come to work we learn from you. Every day that we come to work we are inspired by your fight for people with AIDS in the minority community, your fight for economic and social justice, the lessons you teach us on how to resolve conflict in a gracious manner. I always say that the greatest tribute to Mrs. Stokes, your mother, is the wonderful public life and private lives of Carl and Lou Stokes. Carl went on to be ambassador to the Seychelles. And now my daughter is a friend of young Carl Stokes in California, so the tradition goes on. Mr. Stokes, you will be sorely missed.”