From The Congressional Record
- Elected to the U.S. Congress on November 6, 1968, becoming the first African American Member of Congress from the State of Ohio.
- Elected as the first African American to win a seat on the House Appropriations Committee in 1971.
- Elected in 1972 as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, serving two consecutive terms in this office.
- Appointed in 1977 Chairman of Select Committee on Assassinations; first African American to lead an investigative committee; conducts historic hearings examining the murders of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Appointed in 1980 to the House Ethics Committee; served four years as Chairman; leads panel during congressional page scandal, ABSCAM, and investigation of Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.
- Appointed in 1983 to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, becoming the first African American to serve on this panel; he later becomes Chairman of the Committee, serving in this capacity during the Iran Contra Panel.
- Recipient of numerous honorary degrees and countless other distinctions.
- Upon retirement after 30 years in the House of Representatives, had served under six Presidents and became the first African American to retire, having completed 30 years of service.
Summary of Programs Sponsored by Congressman Louis Stokes
1972
- Minority Biomedical Support (MBRS) Program, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
1973
- Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program, NIH
1985
- Research Centers of Excellence in Minority Institutions-focused on the biomedical sciences, (NIH)
1989
- Creation of the Office of Minority Health and Research, NIH
1991
- Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP) Program, National Science Foundation (NSF)
1993
- K-12 Summer Science Camps Program, NSF
1993
- Urban Systemic Initiatives Program (USI), NSF
1993
- Research Centers on Violence, NSF
1997
- (Minority) Health Professionals Training ACT, NIH
1998
- Minority Graduate Education Program (MGE), NSF
1999
- AMP Program renamed the Louis Stokes AMP Program
Read more about the accomplishments and legacy of Congressman Stokes at:
