The goal was to raise $1.5 billion over 10 years for youth employment, community centers, health clinics, housing, and economic recovery. He later married Raija Kostadinov, a former model from Finland. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles in 1994. But he became embroiled in scandal stemming from a traveling salesman's divorce suit and he was ousted from his job in 1913 "on charges of neglect of duty and gross immorality.". He held office in 1850 and 1851. Stokes, Carl Burton. The images of the former mayors used in this slideshow include photographs of the their portraits that hang in City Hall or sketches that are in the public domain. Perhaps Stokes' greatest legacy was his work to save and preserve Cleveland's Cuyahoga River. They swam at the public beaches in The Hamptons. After returning to Cleveland in 1980, he practised as a labour lawyer. Im a big health nut. In 1981, he married Raija Kostadinov, whom he divorced in 1993 and remarried in 1996. Nicholas Dockstadter served as mayor from 1840 to 1841. The biographical data on the mayors comes primarily from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, including those passages that are in quotes. They got divorced in 1993. His father was co-owner of the city's first lumberyard. (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. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Stokes, Ohio History Central - Biography of Carl B. Stokes, Carl Stokes - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). After his first term as mayor, then-President Grover Cleveland appointed Farley as director of internal revenue. Thomas A. Burke became Cleveland mayor in 1946 and served for eight years. Case was the first mayor of Cleveland to have been born in the city. By the 1980s, the environmental justice movement helped broaden environmentalism. Carl Stokes doesn't sit back. . Many thought that the progress recently achieved by civil rights leaders would slowly be undone. He won. Protest erupted throughout the United States. The MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION OF CARL B. STOKES (1967-1971) was marked by progress, controversy, and the unrest prevalent in many urban areas of the U.S. Stokes, a graduate of CLEVELAND MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL, was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1957 and served as an asst. At the time, Cleveland was one of the 10 largest cities in the United States and Stokes' election put the city in the national spotlight. After Harry Davis resigned as Cleveland mayor to run for governor, then-law director William S. Fitzgerald completed Davis' unexpired term. He was known as a "firm but fair" justice of the peace, according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. During his tenure, he was instrumental in expanding the Port of Cleveland, Burke Lakefront Airport and the Rapid train system. Davis had a greater number of combined first-, second- and third-place votes. February 26, 2021 Carl Stokes is famously known for being the first Black Mayor of Cleveland, elected in 1967, and famously forgotten as a catalyst in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Clean Water Act. [1] Subsequently, President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. He also helped establish the Cleveland Board of Trade and organize the Cleveland Yacht Club. During his second term, Farley called out the state militia to support police during a streetcar strike. Cleveland, Ohio June 21, 1927 Place of Death: Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He was Cleveland's law director when he took over as Cleveland mayor for Harold Burton after he won election to the U.S. Senate. Stokes served two terms as Clevelands mayor, 1968-1972. When elected mayor, Carl advanced equal employment policies in Cleveland. He graduated from CLEVELAND-MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL in 1956 and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1957. He lost his father when he was very young. He took a mentor-protg relationship with my father when Mr. Holly was doing work for then Governor Rhodes, Cordell said, If anything derived to drive [Carl] to become either a good public speaker or an activist etc., the foundation was with John O. Holly and those who might have been close to him.. He cut taxes and reduced debt during his time in office. He embraced the common man philosophy of the Jacksonian Democrats and that made him popular politically. The first permanent bridge across the Cuyahoga River was built during his term. He often played in the 1000-acre Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, as well as in Central Park. Nelson Hayward was born in Massachusetts and came to Cleveland as a teenager in 1825. It was his mother who stressed about the value of education during his early childhood. In 1967, Stokes made American history. In 1980, Mr. Stokes left New York and returned to Cleveland, where he worked as a labor lawyer, serving as general counsel for the United Auto Workers, a union that had been among his earliest supporters. Finding aid for the Carl Stokes Scrapbooks, WRHS. We would travel, of course, to the Grand Canyon and other places. Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes held a press conference on the Cuyahoga riverbank one day after the fire, arguing for policies that protected the waters and the people who lived around it. View finding aid for the Carl B. Stokes Papers, Series II, WRHS. of course Martin Luther King, and . We had a cousin who lived up there and he had a cabin. He credits his brother Carl Stokes - the first black mayor of a major American city . During his time in office, a landfill along the Cleveland waterfront was converted into what would become Burke Lakefront Airport. Stokes left the Ohio Congress and had a failed run for Cleveland mayor in 1965. Some of the mayors became well-known figures beyond Cleveland, including Carl Stokes, Dennis Kucinich and George Voinovich, while the names of other former mayors grace important local institutions, including Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, Burke Lakefront Airport and the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building. After serving as mayor, he became president of Citizen's Savings & Loan Association and director of the Riverside Cemetery Association, both organizations he helped found. In 1980, he returned to his hometown of Cleveland and worked as a general legal counsel for the United Auto Workers Union. In the photo above, Kucinich is flanked by his then-wife Sandy, left, and his father, Frank Kucinich, after claimingvictory in the 1978 recall election. During this time, he was diagnosed with cancer. A number of capital improvements were initiated under Voinovich, including the city's signature Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. [7] Despite fallout over the Glenville shootout, Stokes pulled through and was reelected in 1969. Congressman Louis Stokes was like a second father to Cordell. [1][2] His election came alongside the election of Richard G. Hatcher in the 1967 Gary, Indiana mayoral election. Cordell is proud that Cleveland is still on the frontline of these issues, so that our children and childrens children can hopefully have an environment where they can breathe good air.. Cleveland embarked on construction of a new water and sewer system during Robert E. McKisson's time as Cleveland mayor. The famous civil rights leader is also honored with a national memorial in Washington, DC. From his standpoint, he was the one who established the EEO department, Equal Employment Opportunity. To make the plan successful, he convinced the local businessmen of Cleveland to cooperate in a fundraising programme that aimed to preserve the inner peace of the city. Later he was a newscaster, judge, and US ambassador. All rights reserved (About Us). Together, these were the first elections of African-Americans as mayors of cities over 100,000. There he successfully pioneered bills mandating that police officerstake inventory in the event of a search warrant and the right for criminals to see an attorney within 72 hours of arrest. Before George Voinovich moved on to the U.S. Senate, he was mayor of Cleveland for the entire decade of the 80s. The Smithsonian has a profile of Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture as well as objects about him in its collection. The Depression was taking hold, so he cut costs at City Hall and sought lower utility rates for consumers. He passed away back home in Cleveland, the place he cared for the most. Cleveland State University / Michael Schwartz Library. Updated: 6:32 PM EST February 3, 2022 CLEVELAND Carl Burton Stokes, Cleveland's first Black mayor was also the nation's first Black mayor of a major city. He served from 1932 through 1933. The Cleveland mayoral election of 1967 saw the election of Carl Stokes. The courts settled the issue by mandating more than one bridge. Burke briefly served in the U.S. Senate after Ohio Gov. He had three children from his first marriage: Carl Jr., Cordi, and Cordell, and a daughter, Cynthia, and stepson, Sasha Kostadinov, from his second marriage. He served through the end of 1945 and during that time organized the Post War Planning Council. You had to figure out what you were going to do to make your mark. Do you Want MLK and His Disciples Running Your City? The growth of Clevelands Black voting bloc to 39% bolstered his prospects. He married Raija Kostadinov, a former Finnish model in 1981. Now you can mandate things. CLEVELAND Cleveland has played a pivotal role on the political stage over the years. He defeated Seth Taft, grandson of former U.S. President William Howard Taft. 11201 Euclid Ave. But Perk will forever be known as the mayor whose hair caught on fire while using an acetylene torch to cut a ribbon at an American Society of Metals convention. During that time he lead a committee to find a location for the Superior Viaduct. He later switched from the Whig Party to the Republican Party and was appointed Cleveland postmaster by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1870. [5] Carl Stokes in August 1967. Credit: AP Stokes' rise and fall as a Ch. They lived in the Outhwaite Homes Estates, Clevelands first public housing projects. President Clinton then appointed him U.S. After returning home in 1947, Stokes earned his high school diploma. "In many ways, my position as mayor of this great city would not be possible without Carl Stokes laying that foundation," Bibb said. After Cleveland City Council removed its portion of a floating Detroit Street Bridge, residents of the west side of the river were enraged, calling for "two bridges or none." Throughout the remainder of his time as mayor, Stokes aimed to reform the Cleveland Police Department. His victory two years later drew national attention, as he was the first black mayor of one of the ten biggest cities in the United States. The majority of Clevelands African American population lived on the East Side. But his effort became futile when it came to light that the Glenville Shootout of 1968 was funded by Cleveland: Now! This incident ruined his reputation and donations for his plan dried up. Focusing on the brothers' early life at the Outhwaite projects, service in World War II, and eventual rise to politics, the exhibit ran until September 2008. Brothers Carl and Louis Stokes rose from their childhood in Clevelands public housing to become influential Black politicians. After Morgan's two-year term, Cleveland returned to its mayoral form of government. According to Cordell, Carl was always doing something in his spare time. Carl Stokes and his brother Louis Stokes were raised in . His business interests included the Lorain Steel Co. A friend of noted economist and free trader Henry George, Johnson campaigned for "just taxation" as mayor (serving from 1901 to 1909) and initiated the Group Plan of the Public Buildings that still bracket the downtown mall. So he was at the net (you know, tennis) and I went up to serve. It was the first airport to be located in a downtown in the country. Carl B. Stokes, Michael White, Frank Jackson, and current Mayor Justin Bibb are part of Cleveland's history of Black mayors. Tom L. Johnson, a former Louisville Street Railway Co. employee, invented the see-through glass farebox. Robert E. Blee worked for the railroad and oversaw in-state troop transportation during the Civil War. He had to get me off the court because I was laughing. Both had rocks and forest. Of his efforts, the National Park Service wrote: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. His victory two years later drew national attention. . During this time Stokes became increasingly involved in civil rights activities and the Democratic Party. He was away at the time he was nominated in the spring of 1865, having been responsible for raising money and equipment for the Union, according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. After leaving the post of assistant city prosecutor in 1962, he set up Stokes, Stokes - a law firm together with his brother Louis Stokes. He is of the few American politicians whose career spanned all three branches of government serving as mayor, Ohio legislator, and municipal court judge. Omissions? Carl was also a fantastic pool player to the point where he was playing against some of the world-renowned, historic pool players. As a newsman, he played softball on the NBC team in Central Park. The third moment was the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire. I was a good tennis player. ", Mr. Stokes was credited with using humor and hard work to ease the misgivings of Cleveland's white voters. After inheriting a city in default, he renegotiated the municipal debt and reorganized City Hall. At 18, he joined the U.S. Army and returned to Cleveland after his discharge in 1946. His political career as a Democrat began in 1962 when he was elected to the Ohio general assembly, where he remained for 5 years. Carl B. Stokes made history as the first black mayor of a major American city when he took office in 1968. Cordell explains why his father, Carl B. Stokes, wanted to be mayor of Cleveland. After earning his high-school diploma, he studied law at the University of Minnesota (B.S., 1954) and Cleveland-Marshall Law School (LL.B., 1956). He went on to become a television anchor in New York City and later a municipal judge in Cleveland. Castle had been mayor of Ohio City when it agreed to merge with Cleveland. George W. Gardner was a grain dealer whose business interests included a partnership with John D. Rockefeller. [a] Early life [ edit] He returned to Cleveland in 1980 and established a private law practice. Stokes left Cleveland to become a broadcaster at WNBC-TV in New York. I wanted the fun and the release as much as any man there, but I wasnt going to go looking for it at the cost of humiliation or bodily harm. After his training, he was stationed in New Jersey, France, and Germany. He was first elected in 1915, even though an opponent received more first-place votes. Humbleness is number one. He always talked to me as an adult, not of kiddie stuff. Carl Stokes biography timelines // 21st Jun 1927 Born as Carl Burton Stokes in a black family of Cleveland, Carl was the second son of Charles, a laundryman and Louise Stokes, a cleaning woman. [1], Stokes was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. The funeral was carried on WERE radio. The relationship between the mayor and the police department deteriorated after the shoot-out. Under Stokes and his successors (white and black), the city undertook a long revitalization process. He is among the few American politicians whose career spanned all three branches of government legislative, executive, and judicial. lost momentum when it was indirectly linked to Black nationalists involved in the Glenville Shootout on July 23, 1968. [1] [2] His election came alongside the election of Richard G. Hatcher in the 1967 Gary, Indiana mayoral election. Carl Burton Stokes (June 21, 1927 April 3, 1996) was an American politician and diplomat of the Democratic Party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Public Library Photograph Collection. He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus while serving as Ambassador to the Seychelles and placed on medical leave. Cleveland: Now!, announced on May 1, 1968, was an initiative by him to rehabilitate the neighbourhood areas in Cleveland. . The default occurred during the mayoralty of Dennis Kucinich, not George V. Voinovich, who defeated Mr. Kucinich in 1979. He was a customs collector and lighthouse superintendent during the administrations of presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. What remains of the original plan to build a plaza outside the Carl B. Stokes U.S. After the story was picked up by Time magazine, Stokes became internationally famous as a pioneering advocate for environmental justice, particularly clean water. STOKES, CARL B. STOKES, CARL B. Another lasting legacy was how the newly-elected Mayor Stokes used his international platform to advocate for what is now called environmental justice. Although African Americans faced racism in Cleveland too, their opportunities in the early 1900s were better than in the Jim Crow South. His mother raised Carl and his brother Louis in a public housing project for the poor. Cleveland, He returned to Cleveland and died at the Cleveland Clinic. Since 1836, the city has had a total of 54 mayors, including the city's current mayor, Justin Bibb, encompassing 58 mayoral administrations, as four mayors have served in non-consecutive terms. See the article in its original context from. . Initially popular with business leaders, Now! Jane Campbell, the city's only female mayor, served four years during a time of relatively poor economic conditions. Abner C. Brownell held office from 1852 through 1854. Carl and Shirley divorced in 1973, and he got custody of their children. He and his . The City of Cleveland On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River caught on fire in Cleveland, Ohio, just a few miles downstream of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. He cut government expenses during his initial two years in office and helped quell two labor strikes, one against the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. Thrust into the fore of urban politics at a time of such upheaval, Mr. Stokes seemed to relish the challenge, even as many whites viewed him with hostility. With Raija, he had a daughter, Cynthia and a stepson, Sasha Kostadinov. Previously, he was an artillery captain during the Civil War and a president of the City Council. His marriage to Shirley Edwards in 1958, which produced three children, ended in divorce in 1973. He later acquired the Cleveland Herald & Gazette, in which he would not allow "print ads for the more notorious quack medicines, or notices for the return of runaway slaves," according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. A crucial event in his tenure occurred on a summer night in 1968, when a shootout between a group of black men and the police ended in the death of six black civilians and three white police officers. [2] After attending several colleges, he earned his bachelor's degree in 1954 from the University of Minnesota. Stokes attempted to reform the department, believing they were unresponsive to the people's needs, but was unsuccessful. He took office, with support of both Republicans and Democrats, in 1924 and served until the end of 1929. Legal Notice | Privacy Policy, Mather House, Room 308 Promises of Power (1973). 44106-7107. Born as Carl Burton Stokes in a black family of Cleveland, Carl was the second son of Charles, a laundryman and Louise Stokes, a cleaning woman. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Carl B. Stokes was born in 1927 to Charles and Louise Stokes. But when Fitzgerald ran for election in 1921, he was beaten by Fred Kohler. ", During his tenure as Mayor, Mr. Stokes was credited with opening City Hall jobs to blacks, and speaking out for the poor and disadvantaged. Davis was re-elected twice, but resigned in his third term to run for governor. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In 1967 Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, the first African American to win such office in a major U.S. city. OH Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. But between the three of usmy father, my uncle, and Iwe had a very, very special relationship. [6] A crucial part of his support came from local businessmen. Carl Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland, USA, 1960 - 070016 - YouTube Carl Stokes was an American politician and diplomat of the Democratic Party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland,. View finding aid for the Carl B. Stokes Papers, Series I, WRHS. He was mayor when Cleveland Municipal Stadium was completed on the lakefront and later was instrumental in the creation of the Cleveland Browns. He was a boxer by nature. Cordell remembers going to the gym together to box. King's words clearly didn't fall on deaf ears because, in November of 1967, Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, the first black person ever to lead a major metropolitan city. So we traveled down there. During his two terms as mayor, Stokes opened city hall jobs to blacks and women, and introduced a number of urban revitalization programs (see MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION OF CARL B. STOKES). What kinds of personal experiences shaped Carl Stokes? He skillfully used his fame to advocate for urban revitalizationthat would benefit the poor as well as the rich. During his teenage years in the 1940s, Carl often found himself in trouble. The Italian-born Anthony Celebrezze served four two-year terms from 1954 to 1961. Downtown Cleveland saw several building renovations during Ralph Perk's tenure (1972-1977), as well as completion of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. Holly led boycotts against White-owned businesses and battled unions who refused to hire Black employees. During that time he improved the city's port and ended a policy of having prostitutes register with the police. At the same time, he was also an active member of the Democratic Party. Choosing not to run for a third term in 1971, Stokes lectured around the country, then in 1972 became the first black anchorman in New York City when he took a job with television station WNBC. With my father, we used to go up into upstate New York. Later he was a newscaster, judge, and US ambassador. Courthouse in Cleveland is an uncompleted span of disconnected, rusting metal beams jutting over rail tracks. Stokes experienced racial discrimination in the workplace. In 1956, he graduated from the Cleveland State University College of Law and in 1957, was admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association. A Connecticut native and graduate of Harvard, John W. Allen came to Cleveland to study law in 1825. On the night of his election victory in 1967, Mr. Stokes told a crowd of cheering supporters that he had never before then known "the full meaning of the words 'God Bless America.' He worked for the Erie Railroad Co. in Buffalo as a clerk and then as a bookkeeper for a coal dealership in Cleveland. His plans such as establishing schools, housing projects, zoo and other city projects for the overall improvement of Cleveland won voter approval. The street where they grew up and prominent buildings in Cleveland are named for them. They were divorced in 1973. (Fellow Ohioan Robert C. Henry was the first black mayor of any U.S. city (Springfield, elected 1966).) Carl B. Stokes was the first African American Mayor of not only Cleveland but of a major American city. . Next, he studied psychology at the Cleveland College of Western Reserve University. For 4 years he served as assistant prosecutor and became partner in the law firm of Stokes, Stokes, Character, and Terry, continuing that practice into his political career. Growing up with him in the big city of New York, especially in the 1970s. He won support from a diverse pool of voters, including both Black and White business owners. William B. Cordell was only four when his parents divorced, and his father was given custody of the children. He also initiated Cleveland: Now!, a public and private funding program aimed at the revitalization of Cleveland neighborhoods. In November 2006, the Western Reserve Historical Society opened an exhibit entitled Carl and Louis Stokes: from Projects to Politics. By Brian Kaberline. That year he married Raija Kostadinov with whom he had a stepson, Sasha, and daughter, Cynthia. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed him as the U.S. He also supported a bond issue to create public works jobs during the Depression, but the money raised was not enough to adequately reduce unemployment. During that time he was involved in the creation of the Cleveland Electric Railway Co. Nathan P. Payne, a Democrat, was in the coal business prior to running for mayor. city. At that time, racial discrimination in Cleveland was an issue of serious concern in America. Herman C. Baehr started working for his father's brewing business at age 14 and later became an officer with the Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Co. Theyd show you berries that youd eat and things of that sort. Daniel D. Morgan was the only other city manager of Cleveland. . All of the things that the Earth has to present itself. This occurred just downstream of what is now Cuyahoga Valley National Park. His father was very much a leader, someone who was willing to put himself on the front line to help advance many of the causes important within the Civil Rights arena. He went after criminal rackets and was mayor when Cleveland hosted the Republican National Convention in 1936. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Frank Lausche named him to fill the unexpired term of Robert Taft, who had died. After being discharged in 1946, he returned to Cleveland and earned a high school diploma, and then attended West Virginia State College and Cleveland College of Western Reserve University, majoring in psychology. In 1944, Stokes dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and worked briefly for Cleveland-based aerospace and automotive company Thompson Products/TRW before enlisting in the US Army in 1945. He became mayor of Cleveland the following year in 1855. The Birth Home of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Atlanta is a national historical park. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He was a delegate to local and state Whig conventions. Carl B. Stokes, whose election as the first black mayor of a major city in 1967 became a symbol of a changing America, died early yesterday in Cleveland. He did not seek re-election. 11201 Euclid Ave. Stokes married Shirley Edwards in 1958. The great-grandson of a slave, Mr. Stokes became Mayor of Cleveland by defeating Seth C. Taft, the grandson of a President, at a time when whites accounted for two-thirds of the city's population. Watching his activities as a professional and then off-site from work. Senter declared a day of mourning after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. He would serve as sheriff of Elyria. His autobiography, Promises of Power, was published in 1973. Carl B. Stokes was the first African American elected mayor of a major US city, serving in Cleveland from 1968 to 1971. He was a city councilman before becoming mayor in 1867 and serving through 1870. A native Clevelander, Jackson attended public schools in the city and holds bachelor's, master's and a law degrees from Cleveland State University - the latter from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. George B. Senter was Cleveland's mayor from 1859 to 1860. He returned to Cleveland and died at the Cleveland Clinic. [a], Stokes was born in Cleveland's Central neighborhood, the son of Louise (Stone) and Charles Stokes, a laundryman who died when Carl was two or three years old. He married for the third time in 1996. He will always be known for the city going into default as a result of his refusal to sell the publicly owned Muny Light electric utility to the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. Did the family enjoy time outdoors? He served two years as mayor starting in 1838 and was subsequently defeated twice before getting elected again as mayor in 1842. . At West Virginia State College, Carl had been middle-weight boxing champion. He also learned carpentry and later became president of Dover Bay Grape & Wine Co. There Charles Stokes was a sharecropper and part-time preacher, while Louise was a cook on a plantation. After leaving office as mayor, Voinovich was elected governor of Ohio and later to the U.S. Senate. Masters, who resigned after contracting tuberculosis. Cleveland State University / Michael Schwartz Library Brothers Carl and Louis Stokes rose from their childhood in Cleveland's public housing to become influential Black politicians. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. When Stokes was first elected Cleveland's Mayor in 1967 (he took office in 1968), he was the first African-American to lead a major American city. He later became the city's first probate judge and then returned to his private law practice. prosecutor in the city's law department for 4 years. was a joint public and private funding program for the revitalization of Cleveland which was announced by Mayor Carl B. Stokes 1 May 1968. "The city . A year later, Stokes married Shirley Edwards. Cleveland, Carl and Shirley Stokes cast their votes for Cleveland mayor on Election Day 1967.
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