Louis Stokes

Louis Stokes
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio
In office
January 3, 1969  January 3, 1999
Preceded byCharles Vanik
Succeeded byStephanie Tubbs Jones
Constituency21st district (1969–93)
11th district (1993–99)
Chair of the House Ethics Committee
In office
January 3, 1991  January 3, 1993
Preceded byJulian C. Dixon
Succeeded byJim McDermott
In office
January 3, 1981  January 3, 1985
Preceded byCharles Bennett
Succeeded byJulian C. Dixon
Chair of the House Intelligence Committee
In office
January 3, 1987  January 3, 1989
Preceded byLee H. Hamilton
Succeeded byAnthony Beilenson
Personal details
Born(1925-02-23)February 23, 1925
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedAugust 18, 2015(2015-08-18) (aged 90)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJeannette "Jay" Stokes
Children4
RelativesCarl Stokes (Brother)
EducationCase Western Reserve University
Cleveland State University (JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1943–1946
Battles/warsWorld War II

Louis Stokes (February 23, 1925 – August 18, 2015) was an American attorney, civil rights pioneer and politician. He served 15 terms in the United States House of Representatives – representing the east side of Cleveland – and was the first African American congressman elected in the state of Ohio. He was one of the Cold War-era chairmen of the House Intelligence Committee, headed the Congressional Black Caucus, and was the first African American on the House Appropriations Committee.