Carl B. Stokes was the first Black mayor of a major American city, serving Cleveland from 1967 to 1971, where he navigated tensions between Black nationalists and the white political establishment.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a pivotal Civil Rights leader, frequently visited Cleveland, aiding voter registration efforts for Stokes' election and engaging with Black nationalist leader Fred Ahmed Evans.
Fred Ahmed Evans was a Black nationalist leader and the head of the Republic of New Libya, a group advocating for Black empowerment in Cleveland during the 1960s. He is most remembered for his involvement in the 1968 Glenville Shootout, a violent confrontation that marked the bloodiest day in Cleveland police history.
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