Side A: Carl B. Stokes was born June 21, 1927. His father, Charles, died when Carl was less than two years old. He grew up poor in Cleveland living with his mother, Louise, a domestic worker, and his brother, Louis. He served honorably in the United States Army. He graduated from the University of Minnesota and received a law degree from Cleveland Marshall Law School. He was the first African American democrat elected to the Ohio legislature. He was also elected Mayor of Cleveland, becoming the first African American Mayor of a major American city. He was elected judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court and was appointed by President Bill Clinton as ambassador to the Seychelles. He died on April 3, 1996.