Category: Politics and Government

The SOCIALIST CONVENTION of 1924 was held in Cleveland on 6-7 July at the Hotel Winton. The delegates' major objective was to decide whether to endorse Sen. Robert M. LaFollette as a candidate for president of the U.S. as the CONFERENCE FOR PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTION had done in Cleveland two days earlier.

The SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY (SLP) of Cleveland is the local "section" of the SLP of America and is one of the city's oldest political organizations. The SLP goal is collective ownership of the economy and a "socialist industrial union" government administered by democratically elected representatives from the country's industries and services.

STAGE, CHARLES WILLARD (26 Nov. 1868-17 May 1946) was a lawyer active in civic affairs and politics who became Cleveland's first utilities director under the HOME RULE charter.

STARKWEATHER, SAMUEL (27 Dec. 1799-5 July 1876), lawyer, judge, and mayor of Cleveland, was born in Pawtucket, R.I., son of Oliver and Miriam (Clay) Starkweather. He worked on a farm, graduated from Brown College in 1822, and tutored at Brown until 1824, when he left to study law with Judge Swift in Windham, Conn.

STOKES, CARL B. (21 June 1927-3 April 1996) became the first AFRICAN-AMERICAN mayor of a major U.S. city when he was elected mayor of Cleveland in November 1967. He later became a news anchorman, judge, and a United States Ambassador.

STOKES, LOUIS (23 Feb. 1925-18 Aug. 2015) was a prominent attorney and the first AFRICAN-AMERICAN congressman from Ohio when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968, a position he held for 15 consecutive terms.

STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY (SDS) of Cleveland, founded in the summer of 1964 as the Cleveland Community Project, was part of a national organization of radical college students attempting to build a new, broad-based political left. SDS's local work laid the foundation for the Cleveland Welfare Rights Movement and helped train local grass-roots leaders.

STUDENTS WORKING AGAINST TRASH. See CLEAN-LAND, OHIO.


SUBURBAN CITIZENS FOR OPEN HOUSING. See LOMOND ASSN.


SVOBODA, FRANK J. (28 Nov. 1873-1 Mar. 1965), CZECH newspaper publisher (1899-1939) and state legislator (1943-60), was born in Bohemia, and came to the U.S. in 1884 with his parents, John and Mary (Marova) Svoboda.

SWEENEY, MARTIN L. (15 Apr. 1885-1 May 1960), congressman and politician, was born in Cleveland to Dominic and Anna Cleary Sweeney. At the age of 12 he found work to support himself while attending St. Bridget's Parochial School, and later worked as a longshoreman and construction worker while attending Cleveland Law School part-time, graduating and being admitted to the Ohio bar in 1914.

TAFT, FRANCES PRINDLE (12 Dec. 1921 - 14 May 2017) was an influential arts educator and Cleveland civic leader.

TAFT, SETH CHASE (31 Dec. 1922 – 14 April 2013) was a lawyer, civic leader, and Republican Party politician best known as CARL STOKES' opponent in the famous 1967 Cleveland mayoral race narrowly won by Stokes.

TALL, BOOKER T. (12 Dec. 1928-13 Feb. 1994) had a varied career as a teacher, businessman, and politician, but he is best remembered for a lifetime of work to enhance and honor the positive achievements of AFRICAN AMERICANS. Born to sharecroppers Booker T. (Sr.) and Julia MacFulton Tall in Hooker Bend, TN, Tall early learned the virtue of industry and thrift.

The TIPPECANOE CLUB was originally formed by the WHIG PARTY to elect their candidate, Wm. Henry Harrison, president of the U.S. in 1840. Named for Gen. Harrison's victory over the Indians at Tippecanoe Creek, IN, in 1811, the clubs were an important feature of Harrison's national campaign. The first local club was organized in Ohio City on 9 Mar.

TOD, DAVID (21 Feb. 1805-13 Nov. 1868), businessman and governor of Ohio, was born near Youngstown, Ohio to George and Sarah (Isaacs) Tod, attended Burton Academy in Geauga County, and after studying law in Warren was admitted to the Ohio state bar in 1827, entering private practice.

TOWNES, CLAYTON C. (30 Jan. 1888 [1887?]-24 Feb. 1970), president of city council and first mayor of Cleveland under the CITY MANAGER PLAN, was born in Cleveland to Wm. C. and Kate Hoyt Townes, received his LL.D. degree from Western Reserve University Law School in 1911, and that same year took over his father's seat in city council when his father died.

TOWNSEND, AMOS (1819-17 Mar. 1895), businessman and politician, was born in Brownsville, Pa. and attended school until 15, when he became a clerk in a Pittsburgh retail establishment. At 19 he moved to Mansfield, forming the mercantile business partnership of A. Townsend & Co. with N. D. Hogg, which lasted 5 years, until the partnership dissolved and the business closed.

TRACKSIDE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. See CLEAN-LAND, OHIO.


TUBBS JONES, STEPHANIE (10 September 1949 - 20 August 2008) was the first African American woman from Ohio elected to the United States House of Representatives, and served the state's eleventh congressional district for nearly ten years. Prior to her election to Congress, Tubbs Jones was Chief Prosecutor of Cuyahoga County.

The U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE, CLEVELAND DISTRICT OFFICE, is responsible for enforcing customs and tariff laws and collecting import revenues for the Midwest region. The District Office, located at 55 Erieview Plaza, services Ohio and parts of Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia, as well as 200 mi. of Lake Erie Shoreline. In 1986 the Cleveland office had a staff of approx.

The U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Cleveland District Office) has regional responsibility to foster and promote domestic and international business. The Cleveland District office (along with Cincinnati, one of 2 in Ohio), located at 600 Superior Ave., assists and supports area firms in developing exporting capabilities by providing business leads and export control advice.

VAIL, HARRY LORENZO (11 Oct. 1860-27 Feb. 1935), journalist, lawyer, and politician, was born in Cleveland to Judge I.C. and Clara Van Husen Vail. At 19, Vail received his B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan and over the next 5 years studied law at intervals, being admitted to the bar in 1884, although he did not begin practicing until 1888.

VANIK, CHARLES ALBERT (7 April 1913-30 August 2007), served as a Democratic congressman for 26 years. Born in Cleveland, to Charles Albert and Stella (Kuasnicka) Vanik Sr., Charles Albert Vanik Jr.'s father and grandfather were both butchers. As a boy, Charles delivered meat to his father's customers. Vanik graduated from Western Reserve University in 1933 and earned his law degree in 1936.