Abstract
Angela Stokes is the daughter of Louis Stokes and a graduate of the University of Maryland and Howard University Law School. She was Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio and a Cleveland Municipal Court Judge for twenty years. This 2017 interview was collected as part of a yearlong, community-wide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes' election as mayor of Cleveland.
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Interviewee
Stokes, Angela (interviewee)
Project
Stokes: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
Date
8-9-2017
Document Type
Oral History
Duration
43 minutes
Recommended Citation
"Angela Stokes interview, 09 August 2017" (2017). Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection. Interview 501002.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/crohc000/1221
Transcript
Mike Donato [00:00:05] Hey Angela, let’s start with- Tell me about your memories of your Uncle Carl.
Angela Stokes [00:00:11] Basically, I remember he was so charismatic, you know, just biggest smile on his face.
Mike Donato [00:00:18] I’m sorry. Let’s start with my uncle Carl- [crosstalk]
Angela Stokes [00:00:20] Oh, I’m sorry. I’m getting this. [crosstalk] Okay. We need to identify who we’re talking about.
Mike Donato [00:00:28] Tell me about your Uncle Carl.
Angela Stokes [00:00:30] Okay. My uncle, Carl Stokes, my best memories are that he was such a charismatic personality, so friendly. His passion for helping people and representing them and as a family member. We had a close family, and so just pleasant memories about how holidays, being together, campaigning, you know, on his mayoral campaign, things like that.
Mike Donato [00:00:59] Great. Now, you were 14, about 14, right, when he was elected mayor? What are your memories of that night?
Angela Stokes [00:01:11] I remember that the evening was, like, electrifying. People were so excited and enthusiastic about it because we knew that this was such a monumental time in history if Carl were to be elected. And then at his headquarters, it was just all this electricity and just people being so happy about his election.
Mike Donato [00:01:31] Great. Now you and your cousins, were you involved in the campaign? Tell me? Take me a little bit of the time leading up to his election and how involved you were with the campaign?
Angela Stokes [00:01:46] My memory. Oh, gosh, I need to scratch that. Okay. There was a group called Young Folks for Stokes, and my siblings and I were involved in the Young Folks for Stokes group. And so we were just. This was new to us. We had never done anything like this before. So we would canvas the neighborhoods with literature, passing out my Uncle Carl’s campaign literature, things like that. So that was just getting our feet wet, like in the political realm at that time.
Mike Donato [00:02:17] Do you remember any times when your father and Carl, like leading up to the election, you know, it was kind of tight. No one was quite sure. Do you remember what was their feeling? Did they feel confident that he was going to get elected? Do you remember any time, maybe just kind of eavesdropping on your father and Carl talking and what their feelings were leading up to it?
Angela Stokes [00:02:39] My best recollection is that my father and my Uncle Carl were confident that he would be able to win the election. And so one memory, and I don’t know if I actually recall this or I’ve been told the story many times, is that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was there at the headquarters, but there was some controversy at that time. And so I believe that my Uncle Carl asked my father to be alone with him and not so much in the limelight, you know, so. And I remember that my dad was honored to have special private time with Dr. Martin, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. that evening. And later on, it turns out that my dad, you know when he was in Congress, was able to chair on the assassinations committee investigating his assassination years later. So the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Mike Donato [00:03:37] Very true. So the time when your Uncle Carl was mayor, what was that time like for you and your? I mean, it was? You know, it was kind of a- It was an historical time. There was probably pressure involved and things like that. Tell me what your recollection for you, you and your cousins, what it was like for the kids while Carl was serving as mayor?
Angela Stokes [00:03:59] You know, basically my parents and my Uncle Carl wanted us to have normalcy notwithstanding. This was such a, you know, historic event. So they- Education was really important. So they always had us focusing on everything, that wasn’t revolving around the campaign. They wanted us to know the historical importance of it, but it was also important that we should be pursuing our education, that we should try to do everything with excellence, that they try to encourage us to do and to have a normal family life.
Mike Donato [00:04:39] And as you mentioned, the families were very tight. Obviously your father and Carl were very tight, but that kind of crossed over with the families, too. So talk about how close you all were, especially during this time when there was this thing going on when he was married? Tell me about the closeness?
Angela Stokes [00:04:56] Well my grandmother, matriarch, Louise Stokes. My grandmother was a matriarch of the family, and so she always had on the special holidays, Thanksgiving, you know, Christmas, Easter. She was usually the one who prepared the meals, and the families would come together and, you know join all around the dining room table. So we had that closeness.
Mike Donato [00:05:20] Great. Now, you know historically, folks, we’ve looked at, you know, Carl’s time as mayor from your perspective you know. What do you feel was his greatest accomplishment as mayor?
Angela Stokes [00:05:41] I think that when I look back on it, Carl and my dad always stood for righteous issues. And my Uncle Carl was never afraid to take on a fight. People always said he was a fighter, you know, and just issues he even had with the Cleveland Police Department then. I mean, he stood strong for what he believed in, trying to make differences. He wasn’t afraid to really stand for and promote an issue that he felt very strongly about. So. So I don’t know if I can think of one particular thing. I know he had some battles with the Cleveland Police Department, but I remember that he was just. He had this wonderful laughter. He wanted to be among the people. He wanted to serve with excellence. And so I think mostly just encouraging people and fighting on behalf of neighborhoods and people.
Mike Donato [00:06:39] Great answer. Unfortunately, we gave you, so watch your- No, no, it’s not bad, but just. I know.
Angela Stokes [00:06:47] And we’ve been tapping.
Mike Donato [00:06:48] We got you roped in there. That’s not fair.
Angela Stokes [00:06:49] I’m sorry.
Mike Donato [00:06:50] No, you’re doing. You’re doing great.
Angela Stokes [00:06:51] I’ll keep them still.
Mike Donato [00:06:52] Okay. What do you think Carl’s legacy is? I mean, you know looking? I mean, for someone who was there when he was elected and, you know years later, looking back, what do you think has been the lasting legacy of Carl Stokes?
Angela Stokes [00:07:07] I think the lasting legacy is that this, my Uncle Carl, coming from poverty, you know being raised in the projects and then being elected the first African American mayor of a major American city. But not just that. Carl went on to serve in the, you know, well the executive branch as a mayor. He was a state representative in the Ohio state legislature. In addition, he served as a Cleveland Municipal Court judge. And then he was appointed by former President Bill Clinton as ambassador to the Seychelles. So I think it’s amazing, his service with respect to those three branches of government, and then as an ambassador, he did other things like he was a newscaster, but he just served with excellence. And there were some bumps in the road at times, but he never gave up. He always wanted to give back to the community and remembered, you know, as his mother, my grandmother instilled him, you know, to get an education, to not have to work with their hands, even though there’s nothing dishonorable about working with your hands as a domestic worker. But it was hard on her, and she wanted her sons to get a great education, and they did that, and they served with excellence the community.
Mike Donato [00:08:24] So you were talking about your grandmother, and let’s look there a little bit. So, you know, whether this is. I don’t want to give you the answer, but, you know, both your father and your uncle, they had that need to get involved, especially in political life and to serve. Where did that? Especially considering the way they were raised, you know, where they came from, you know, where did that motivation come from for them to want to serve and give back?
Angela Stokes [00:08:51] Well, with Carl, my uncle Carl, he was the one who initially became involved in politics. And I’m not exactly sure how he first became involved. I think he was helping out on different campaigns, and he admired some of the people he was working with. And I don’t recall their names, but I think that’s how Carl first became involved. My father wanted to just be the greatest lawyer in the world and to represent defendants because of a Lot of the discrimination he suffered, you know, in the army, which was segregated at the time. And so my dad just wanted to be the best lawyer. Carl was a great prosecutor. But Carl’s yearning, his passion, politics, and that eventually somehow transferred to my dad. He grew to love politics also.
Mike Donato [00:09:43] And you kind of took me to a certain spot here. So let’s. Your dad did not really seem to want to go into necessarily the limelight he was behind the scenes. He was, you know, he got the districting done great, amazing job as a lawyer. Did you ever talk to him about Carl and that group convincing him to run for the congressional office and what his recollection of that and how hard they had to talk him into
Angela Stokes [00:10:14] You know, I never had any personal conversations with my father and Carl regarding that, and I’ve read accounts of it, but they never discussed those type of things with me. I don’t know that they discussed them with any of the children at that time. But I think that my dad was convinced that he would do a good job in representing people. And I think that it probably. Maybe the hardest part for him was. Was transitioning, because he loved being a lawyer. You know, he had argued cases before the United States Supreme Court. He loved what he was doing. He liked representing people. But then I think he realized, you know, I can represent even more people in a different way, in a larger scale if I’m elected to the United States Congress.
Mike Donato [00:10:56] So yeah, very good answer. Let me- Let me see here. Let me ask one more on Carl. And then I want to kind of segue back into your father. But, you know as you talked about him a little bit, but as a person, I mean, a lot of us know him as he was the mayor. He was this. But tell me about Carl? What was special about him as a person?
Angela Stokes [00:11:22] I think probably his charismatic personality. That while he was a good mayor and state representative, from what I understand, people loved him because he never really got away from his grassroots. Carl was the type of person who would like to shoot pool and would still go to the pool halls. I never been in a pool hall, but I hear people say they would see me, and it’s like, yeah, I was shooting pool with Carl. So he was always just able to relate to people who he grew up in the neighborhood. He liked doing things like shooting pool and other things, but at the same time he knew how to conduct himself in the executive branch.
Mike Donato [00:12:16] Your father and uncle, they worked as a team. I mean, really it was a team. It wasn’t really necessarily one or the other. Tell me about their relationship from your perspective?
Angela Stokes [00:12:27] They had a special bond, you know, as brothers, but they really love one another. They were very protective of one another. I think maybe one important thing is that they could trust one another. Like they had close friends, but each other, they knew. They could always trust. They knew. And I have one picture of them, and many people have seen it, and it’s. You can tell they’re kind of whispering and they’re talking like politics, and I can’t remember the particular incident, but they reach in towards each other and. And under the picture, someone put in power brokers in a quote. And they always wanted to help people, to empower them so that they could have proper health care and different things like that. Civil rights matters. They were not trying to obtain any financial, personal wealth from this. Their focus was always on helping people lift themselves up. And that was important for them to work together. They loved. They got to the point. They loved politics and they loved talking about strategizing and who was going to be endorsed and who wasn’t going to be endorsed, and just those kind of talks that they have, and they could trust each other. I remember that when Carl passed away, my dad still remained in office, but he said it would never be the same because he didn’t have that confidence. He didn’t have his brother to talk to. And he also trusted Carl’s opinion and his advice, and he didn’t have that after Carl left. I mean, he still had close friends to consult, but no one liked Carl.
Mike Donato [00:14:02] So even when Carl was in New York as the broadcaster or the Seychelles, so they always stayed in touch and always remained close?
Angela Stokes [00:14:09] They always remained close. They had such a special bond. Always close.
Mike Donato [00:14:15] I want to talk a little bit about your dad, you know, obviously his role in Congress, but let’s talk about him as a person. What made your father a special person?
Angela Stokes [00:14:27] My father, Louis Stokes, was such a special person. Just even as his autobiography says, the gentleman from Ohio. He was always a gentleman and always a statesman. Nothing like we often see in politics on the national, state and local level today. My dad was so careful not to be demeaning to people or to treat them in a derogatory way. In Congress, he was able to reach across both sides of the aisle, so Republicans and Democrats and Independents for a particular cause. He was the type of person that people respected. They knew that his word was good, that he was an honest man, just wonderful integrity. And so I think that’s really special that he was able to gather people together for a common cause.
Mike Donato [00:15:19] Tell me something about him that might surprise people? I mean, we kind of saw him as the public figure. So maybe, tell me, is there something about him that might surprise people that you could tell us?
Angela Stokes [00:15:31] See, Well, he was a very humble man. And I thought of three things that might surprise. One is that one, a lot of people don’t know that he used to shine shoes for a living. And one day he noticed that my shoes were not shined. And so he said, you need to shine your shoes, Angela. So I was. I got out my little kit and he was watching me do it. And he said, oh, gosh, you’re really struggling. And so he says, let me do this for you. And so he took the cloth and he kind of had a special motion. And it was kind of musical in how he did that. And that’s when I first learned that he used to shine shoes. So I was amazed at that. And then he told me, you know, how he used to shine shoes, you know, to help George make a living when he was real young. But also, my dad was, because of his Christian faith, he was a very humble man. And most people say, how would they know this? But every night that I would see him come in the house, even if it was late, he was always on his knees praying. He was very humble, very kind hearted man. So I think that might surprise people. The other thing that might surprise people is that he loved to sing. And he would sing in the car. You could hear him singing in the shower. But he always said that if he hadn’t gone into law or Congress, you know, he would have. He said, I would have liked to have been a singer. So I don’t know.
Mike Donato [00:16:58] That’s great stories, you know, what is it, in your opinion about him that made him a great congressman?
Angela Stokes [00:17:09] Basically, as my dad tried to instill in all of his children and grandchildren, he always told us to do everything with excellence. Because often people didn’t expect, especially African Americans at that time, to whatever they did to do with excellence. He always. His phrase was aim high. So even his dress, even with Carl, my uncle, my dad, they dressed meticulously. They made sure that their cuffs had monograms, their initials, and his campaign literature. And what he espoused was a tradition of excellence in public service. And even when he practiced as a lawyer, his oratory skills, he just wanted everything to be done with excellence. And he always tried to encourage each of us to do that. So when he was in Congress, whether he was practicing law or in Congress, and after he retired, that was just important to him. To just do everything with excellence. He always made sure when he was speaking, whether it was on the floor of Congress before the United States Supreme Court, he always had his facts. He was always prepared. He was a person who would never have been unprepared. And I think a lot of that came from his lawyering skills. So when he did special things like interrogating Lt. Col. Oliver north and Lee Harvey Oswald, know, in depositions, he was always prepared, but he always treated people with respect and dignity. So I don’t know if I answered your question
Mike Donato [00:18:50] No, great answers, great answers. You know, with Cordell, we were talking to Cordell. He was talking a little bit that people don’t realize that being a congressman, It’s a 24/7. And even when they come back home, you know, I mean, that’s when they’re really doing their job because they’re listening to folks and what needs to be done. So talk about, you know, what goes into that, about the service part, about really realizing that you are devoted to your job. Talk a little bit about maybe some of the behind the scenes of being a congressperson and what that took from him and involved, you know, some things that occurred we would hear about in the news, you know, and he didn’t really. Things that he felt were maybe confidential matters leading up to what we all knew publicly.
Angela Stokes [00:19:24] If it was confidential, he would not share it. So a lot of things he didn’t tell us about, but he always just told us about integrity, telling the truth, to be prepared to do everything with excellence. I don’t know that he came home so much and discussed things like the health, brain trust. You know, he might tell us a little bit about it, but he was so busy in the community. We didn’t have a lot of times like that. He was. It was important for my dad to attend special things in our lives, like graduations. Like when I had my first trial, my dad came to Columbus to watch and critique me. And critique me, he did, you know, but he was so busy. He didn’t have a lot of time. You know, he was there for special occasions. We went to church together, you know, when he was available and not traveling back and forth between Washington and Cleveland, but special events. He was always there for us, but I don’t know that he talked so much about maybe legislation he was introducing or things like that.
Mike Donato [00:20:48] But kind of what you were mentioning though is especially with, with him when it came to his district. I mean, these days, sometimes you know someone will pick a district just to get elected. But this was his district. This district was his, you know, that was his family, his neighborhood. Talk about his commitment there, you know, to the people and, you know, what he brought back and how much they depended on him from your perspective.
Angela Stokes [00:21:12] I think a lot of my dad’s passion and compassion and desire to represent people extremely well came from the fact that his father died, grandfather died when he was very young, like 2. So he really didn’t have the benefit of a father raising him. And he always told us that he wanted to be the best father to us and the best grandfather because what he didn’t have, and that was a driving force with him. And I think that as it carried over to be the best father to us and best grandfather, I think that that father’s heart extenuated to the people he represented locally and even what he did nationally. He had such a compassionate heart and wanting people to do better in their lives, education wise for health, if they had been discriminated against. And I just really think it all came from the father’s heart and it just. Even defendants. I think he just wanted to give them the best representation because of that compassion in his heart. And I think it, you know, it spilled over or transferred to when he represented people in Congress.
Mike Donato [00:22:22] That’s very interesting. That’s a very beautiful answer, too.
Angela Stokes [00:22:24] He was once- There was an organization, I can’t remember, maybe it was Children and Family Services that awarded my dad and other people who have done well, you know, successful in different ways for their fatherhood and how they. That’s what he said. It’s even in a brochure that he always wanted to be the best father because of what he didn’t have. He said it was so important for him to be a great father and to help people even if they weren’t his own children.
Mike Donato [00:22:53] That’s great. This is kind of tough. But what do you think is his greatest accomplishment? Obviously he had many, many years, did lots of things, but what do you feel is his greatest accomplishment as a Congressman?
Angela Stokes [00:23:12] I thought about this long and hard about my dad’s greatest accomplishment because he had so many, but I think it’s hard to just single out one. But I would think that chairing the Assassinations Committee, just also being on the Appropriations Committee and the subcommittee said he chaired to bring federal funding in for, like, the VA hospitals to help people, you know, he was never trying to take anything from himself. He always wanted to make things better for other people. So he would be really pleased and thankful for his work with the Health Brain Trust and the Health Disparities, pointing them out basically to the world and making differences, you know, And I think that’s why places like the National Institutes of Health would name buildings after him because he cared so much about people. And with his humility, he would sometimes have a tear in his eye when he. When different buildings were named after him. He would just be so thankful. He never was arrogant or prideful about it. It just always humbled him that people would name buildings after him, you know.
Mike Donato [00:24:33] So do you know what he felt his greatest accomplishment was?
Angela Stokes [00:24:38] I don’t know that he never said to me that I think this is the best thing I’ve done or whatever. I just think it was a combination. I think he was pleased. And I think people who watch, like just how he handled the assassinations Committee, the Iran Contra matter with Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North. I think people. You just saw his intellect, his skill, but yet how he treated people with dignity, even if he totally disagreed and wanted to point out that they’re not serving our country so well. But I don’t think that I can. It would be. I don’t think that I can name just one thing because he did so many wonderful things.
Mike Donato [00:25:27] Let’s talk a little bit about the National Institutes of Health. Talk a little bit about that, where that came from, you know, for his passion for that came from and some of his work in that? In that area? You talked about it a little bit, but let me just kind of.
Angela Stokes [00:25:39] Right. Well, he was chairperson over the Health Brain Trust, which I think he founded in Congress. And. And it was important for him to be able to have funding for them to do research, for example, African American babies and the death rate. And so people. I have friends who are nurses and doctors in other cities, and they were so thankful that they had an advocate where this research could be done because of the disparate charities and to try to overcome many of those health issues. And so I think the National Institute of Health, their staff, they were happy to look into these issues and do the research so they could make changes for the better for all Americans and those who were disproportionately affected by it, you know, because my dad was concerned about people not getting the proper medical care, you know, and not having proper health insurance. And he wanted people to be on equal footing and to get the best care.
Mike Donato [00:26:44] And even to this day, that’s still kind of going on. I mean, it’s just too bad. Yeah. This is probably hard for you, but what do you think his legacy is? I mean, I know you’re very close, obviously, to the subject, but what do you see as a legacy of Louis Stokes?
Angela Stokes [00:27:05] That even if a person comes from a disadvantaged background, raised up in poverty, like in the projects that they can accomplish with education and support from other people, they can go and accomplish anything in their heart’s desire, especially to help other people. And so I remember one statement that I read, and he was talking from the. Well, on the congressional floor, that he was saying, only in America could a person come from such a disadvantaged background and then end up, you know, serving in Congress. And, you know, even his accomplishments as a lawyer, you know, with the landmark Terry v. Ohio case, about the stop frisk. I mean, that’s still so important today regarding the Fourth Amendment. So I think his legacy is. And he always. He would always use that expression, aim high. He wanted to encourage people that they can become whatever they want it to become. They just had to work hard, get an education, be dedicated, you know, to do that. So he wanted people to know. And he also. He had a very forgiving type of personality. He would not let something that was at birth that happened to him turn into hatred and bitterness. Like even his experience in the United States army. He used all those things, like, he was subjected to very humiliating things, as many other African American people in the army were at that time. But he wanted to make things better. He never had hatred. He forgave, and he wanted to make things better. And I think it made him. I think that’s why he was so compassionate, because he had been subjected to such horrible things. He didn’t ever want to be that way. And that’s what he always taught us, you know, to serve with excellence and make sure we got a good education and treat people with dignity. And I think that’s what people thought of him. You know, that’s why I say the gentleman from Ohio, even they, you know, I was- When he became a cardinal, serving in certain subcommittees, he was never prideful or arrogant. He was thankful to have the opportunity to serve people.
Mike Donato [00:29:26] That’s very interesting. How do you think, looking the accomplishments and the legacy of both your father and uncle, how have you seen that inspire the generations that have followed? Have you seen something specific or, you know, just-
Angela Stokes [00:29:45] I’ve heard various people say that if it hadn’t been for Carl and my dad being frontrunners at that time, that they paved the way, that my Uncle Carl and my dad paved the way for other people. I remember once President Barack Obama said that he would have never been able to be elected to presidency of the United States if it hadn’t been for, like he said, I’m standing on the shoulders, basically, of Carl and Lewis Stokes, who paved the way and other people paved the way. But, you know, they had paved the way in a monumental fashion. I’ve heard Congresswoman Fudge say that, too, and former Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, that they have paved the way for them to then go forward and do their own wonderful accomplishments in life.
Mike Donato [00:30:35] Now, we, for the past year, we’ve been working on this Stokes commemorative project. And the whole community has been behind this. You know, it started with Tri-C. And then the whole community and businesses have been involved. What does this project mean to you and your family?
Angela Stokes [00:30:51] You know, and there was a thought I had, and then I’ll, you know, go right into that. Even with this, there’s a Stokes scholarship program. Stokes scholars. So it wasn’t just politics. He wanted a person to persevere and do extremely well in whatever field, whether it was law or politics. And so he was always encouraging young people, you know, to do well if they were going to go to law school. And he just wanted to be a great example for them and to encourage them and his legacy. When I think about this, the young people who are inspired by what he and Carl accomplished throughout their entire lives, they would just be so honored. Carla and my dad would be so honored to have been able to motivate people, even though they’re not here in this earth right now. What they did, what they’ve done, encourages people to this day. And they wanted people to, like, be able to pass the torch along and help other people. So. So I think that’s a good thing, is that that standard of excellence, standing for righteous causes. They would want young people to go forth and do the same thing today. They didn’t want it to just end with them. They wanted to share what they had and share it with others so they could accomplish great things also.
Mike Donato [00:32:18] And what about personally, for you and your family? What does it mean to you to have this kind of a commemorative project going on? And maybe start by saying this project means something?
Angela Stokes [00:32:28] This commemorative project honoring my Uncle Carl and my dad, Louis Stokes. I’m so thankful and grateful for it, because I think it will encourage and motivate young people to understand that they can accomplish great things in their lives, to make sure that they get their education, that they have compassion to serve. Carl and my father, Louis, they were public servants, and they would want to encourage people to give something back in whatever way they can to make lives better for other people. So I’m really pleased with the commemorative program because I think it will kind of ignite something in a person’s heart and spirit to look back and remember their accomplishments and, and then to help people go forth in what they’re doing to carry on some of the same fights. Sadly enough, that still exists, you know, regarding racism, some civil rights issues, we still have health care disparities. I just think that it’s just like a way to motivate people by celebrating their legacy.
Mike Donato [00:33:42] That’s absolutely true. That’s true. Let me ask you, we talked about how other folks have been motivated and inspired. Tell me, what is it like? You’ve been a public servant, so what is it like for you to carry on Stokes name and legacy?
Angela Stokes [00:34:02] Well, I always wanted to serve with excellence. You know, my dad would always say, we’re going to say that you’re continuing a tradition of excellent public service. So when I served as a judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court, it was important for me to do the best I could to try to help lives, like starting a program at that time called Project Hope, Holistic Opportunities and Preventative Education to help basically women convicted of solicitation, prostitution, offenses to come out of that lifestyle to become law abiding members of the community by using many resources just to help them get education, get the proper medical care they needed, to get vocational skills, to get jobs. And so that was just the same passion that came from my dad, always wanting to help people so they could have better lives. So I think in each one of us, whether it was my brother who’s in the media, my brother Chuck who’s in the media, my sister Lori in the media, Shelley, who worked at Howard University’s library. We’ve just always wanted to serve with excellence and do the best we could on behalf of other people, admiring and being thankful for their legacies, but knowing that we have to carve out our own path to try to serve people, you know, whichever way we can best do that.
Mike Donato [00:35:35] Was there a pressure involved, you know, growing up? And if you don’t want to get into this, that’s fine, it’s okay, you know, about you know being a part of the Stokes family, you know, for someone like you and your-
Angela Stokes [00:35:48] Well, initially my dad really encouraged me about going to law school, and I’m glad that he did that. And then after law school and I went to Howard University Law School, then I went. My first job was with the Ohio Attorney General’s office in Columbus, Ohio. And so after I was there for three years, I think my dad said, well, how are you ever going to run for political office in Columbus? He says, carl and I have paved the way. You need to come here so you can run for political office. Well, I didn’t think about that, but I always respected my dad and I was obedient. So he said, I would like for you to get a transfer to the Cleveland, Ohio Attorney General’s office. So he said, are you going to do that? So I requested a transfer, and I was blessed to get a transfer to the Cleveland office. And he says, good. And then after I had worked for the Attorney General’s office for a while, then I went to bp, America’s law department, and Carl and my dad said, now it’s time for you to run for Cleveland Municipal. Well, first they wanted me to run for the Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. I won the primary, but I lost the general election. And I thought, oh, this is grueling. This is very difficult. But I learned a lot running countywide. And then my father and Carl said, now it’s time for you to run for the Cleveland Municipal Court. And they selected the seat I was going to run from. And they said, you’re going to do this, and we’re going to be here, and you’re going to be a good judge. So they did had quite a bit of influence, and I’m glad they did, because I hadn’t really thought about serving in a political position. But when they and I. And I didn’t think about serving in Congress or following, you know, in Carl’s steps as a state representative and a mayor, but Judge, I like that. I thought, I hope and pray I can be a good judge. And so my dad did want me to succeed him in Congress, and so he talked to me about that. But I knew that that was not really the calling in my life to do that. And he says, then I’m going to go with Stephanie Tubbs Jones. He said, I’m going to pass the mantle on to her. And I knew that that was the best thing. And my dad, he was a little bit sad, but he knew that. And I was. I think I was serving on the bench at that time, you know, but I knew I wasn’t to transition from being a judge to. To go to Congress. And it was great for Stephanie Tubbs Jones to do that. So, you know, he always had a little inkling in his heart, and he knew that Chucky wasn’t going to run, and Shelley and Lori. So I think I was like his last hope. But he was at peace with it. So I stayed on the court. And at that time, Stephanie Jones succeeded him in Congress. He and Carl definitely convinced me to run for a judge. I probably would have still been at Columbus-
Mike Donato [00:38:45] You know, that’s a very-
Angela Stokes [00:38:48] Serving in the Attorney General’s office or something like that. So I’m glad I made the transition. And I learned just from, like, we would go to the Labor Day picnics and campaigning. I learned all that when we would walk in the parades. You know, there are people personally, like, you have to shake every hand. You have to love everyone. You can only do that if you truly love people. I mean, if you want to in a good way. So I had the best two people to learn from. At least, I think the best two to learn from.
Mike Donato [00:39:16] It’s a very personal story. Thank you for sharing. That’s a great story. So tell me a little bit about? I don’t know how to ask the question, but maybe you can start by saying he was known as the gentleman from Ohio, and then kind of go from there? Okay?
Angela Stokes [00:39:27] Okay. Well, as you know, my father, Louis Stokes, was known as the gentleman from Ohio. However, he knew how to hold his own and interrogate people, like he did with Lt. Col. Oliver north and other people that he would question on different panels. But he brought those same skills home. And I think he had a lot of great skills because of his oral arguments and his trial practice in court. And so if we ever did anything and he wanted to investigate it or we were in trouble, he most definitely used those same skills. But the great thing about it was that my dad never cursed us, like, in public. He never used profanity privately or publicly. But he knew how to interrogate you and not demean you at the same time. But he always got to the truth of the matter. And all of my siblings were subjected to those interrogations, including me. So through that, you know, we always learned to tell the truth no matter what, because he was so careful not to be demeaning, but he knew what questions, and he always got to the bottom of the truth, always so. And I think he did that publicly also on the different committees that he served.
Mike Donato [00:40:36] Can I have you tell that just a little bit of a different way? And I like the angle about he was- You know, my father was a great lawyer. He was known for his interrogation, and sometimes he would bring that home wondering, when it came to us, whether we were telling the truth. Maybe kind of start that way and then just kind of tell me the story just a little bit differently or the same way again.
Angela Stokes [00:40:54] Now, how did you want me to start that way?
Mike Donato [00:40:55] So my father, you know, my father was a great interrogator, you know, as a lawyer. And sometimes he would bring that home and growing up in that household, you know, and just kind of go from there.
Angela Stokes [00:41:04] Okay. My father was a great interrogator, which he used publicly when he would interrogate individuals like Lt. Col. Oliver North and other individuals and serving his capacity as chairman on different committees. But he would also bring those skills home and interrogate us when we were involved in. Done some things that we shouldn’t have been involved in. And he was gracious in that because he was a gentleman. But at the same time, he was very steadfast in his questioning of us, just like we were- Oh, I can’t explain it too well, but he would just use those same skills at home to interrogate his own children, and there was no way for us to wiggle out of it. And he was always kind in doing it but relentless until he got the truth of the matter. He did that publicly and then, of course, privately. I don’t know if that helps.
Mike Donato [00:42:03] No, that was-
Angela Stokes [00:42:04] I’m not saying it right. Help me out.
Mike Donato [00:42:06] No, I think you were, you know, let’s do like a- Oh, how can I do it? You said something like, you know.
Angela Stokes [00:42:11] I’m sorry.
Mike Donato [00:42:12] No, no. Something like, you know, he was very steadfast and, you know, and then just kind of go from there. You know, he would, you know, he would ask us questions until we would tell the truth or just something like that. We can do a little bit of a pickup. So he was very steadfast with asking us questions.
Angela Stokes [00:42:28] I can start with that part?
Mike Donato [00:42:29] Yeah.
Angela Stokes [00:42:29] Okay. So my dad was very steadfast.
Mike Donato [00:42:33] One more time so it’s-
Angela Stokes [00:42:33] I’m sorry.
Mike Donato [00:42:34] Ready? Look at me. Let’s just start with, He was very steadfast.
Angela Stokes [00:42:37] He was very steadfast in his line of questioning, just like we were in a courtroom or in a public forum, like he was chairing a committee on Capitol Hill. And he was relentless until he actually received the truth and knew he had the truth. But through it all, although he was tenacious and firm, he was always polite and never condescending, but he was determined to get to the truth, and he always got the truth.
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