Marcy Kaptur: “I rise with great privilege to wish a very happy birthday that will come on February 23 to one of our most distinguished…”

“I rise with great privilege to wish a very happy birthday that will come on February 23 to one of our most distinguished Members who served for so many years, Congressman Louis Stokes of Cleveland, Ohio. He will turn 87 on February 23. And truly, he deserves recognition during this Black History Month, and I pay him his due honor. He grew up in difficult circumstances in public housing. His widowed mother had to raise her two sons, one of which, Louis, became the first African American congressman ever elected from the State of Ohio, and his brother, Carl, the first African American mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Can you imagine that family? Can you imagine their struggle? I wish to place in the Record tonight some of his story. One of the tremendous accomplishments that he achieved as an attorney was trying many cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, including a case which created Ohio's first mostly minority congressional district, and then later in life he had the opportunity to run for that seat. He changed the face of this country. I'm just so pleased to call him our friend, and let us take the time to fully recognize the admirable and path-breaking contributions of former Congressman Louis Stokes during this year's Black History Month. He deserves it. [From Cleveland.com, Feb.…”