Ralph S. Locher
Encyclopedia
Ralph Sidney Locher was a Romania
n-born American politician
of the Democratic party who served as the 50th mayor of Cleveland
, Ohio
.
Locher was born in Moreni
, Romania
, outside Bucharest
in 1915. He graduated from Bluffton College and was admitted to the Ohio bar
. He became a close associate of Frank J. Lausche, later Governor of Ohio and U.S. Senator, who nurtured his career, first appointing him as secretary of the Ohio State Industrial Commission in 1945. They were instrumental in building the "cosmopolitan Democrats" movement of urban ethnic voters. Locher was law director of Cleveland, Ohio
under Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze beginning in 1953, then succeeded him as mayor when Celebrezze was appointed United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by President
John F. Kennedy
on July 14, 1962.
After winning a special election in October 1962 to complete Celebreeze's fifth term, Locher served two terms of his own as mayor of Cleveland. His tenure was marked by increasing racial tensions in the city, culminating in the Hough Riots
of 1966. On April 25, 1967, Locher declared that three recent visitors to the city: Floyd McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality
(CORE), Alabama governor George C. Wallace, and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were "extremists."
On October 3, 1967, Locher lost the Cleveland Democratic primary election to Carl B. Stokes
, who he had narrowly defeated in the 1965 general election. Stokes went on to defeat Republican Seth Taft
in the general election, becoming the first African American
mayor of a major U.S. city.
Locher went on to be elected a probate court judge in 1970, and was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 1977, serving two terms. Though a Democrat, he became increasingly conservative as he got older and with longevity in office frequently voting with Republican justices on worker's compensation and other employment issues. He died in 2004.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n-born American politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Democratic party who served as the 50th mayor of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Locher was born in Moreni
Moreni
Moreni is a town in Dâmboviţa County, Romania, located about 100 km north-west of Bucharest, with a population of 22,868.In 1691, Moreni became the first place in Romania where oil was extracted....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, outside Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
in 1915. He graduated from Bluffton College and was admitted to the Ohio bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
. He became a close associate of Frank J. Lausche, later Governor of Ohio and U.S. Senator, who nurtured his career, first appointing him as secretary of the Ohio State Industrial Commission in 1945. They were instrumental in building the "cosmopolitan Democrats" movement of urban ethnic voters. Locher was law director of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
under Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze beginning in 1953, then succeeded him as mayor when Celebrezze was appointed United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
on July 14, 1962.
After winning a special election in October 1962 to complete Celebreeze's fifth term, Locher served two terms of his own as mayor of Cleveland. His tenure was marked by increasing racial tensions in the city, culminating in the Hough Riots
Hough Riots
The Hough Riots were race riots in the predominantly African American community of Hough in Cleveland, Ohio that took place over a six-night period from July 18 to July 23, 1966. During the riots, four African Americans were killed and 30 people were critically injured. In addition, there were 275...
of 1966. On April 25, 1967, Locher declared that three recent visitors to the city: Floyd McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
(CORE), Alabama governor George C. Wallace, and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were "extremists."
On October 3, 1967, Locher lost the Cleveland Democratic primary election to Carl B. Stokes
Carl B. Stokes
Carl Burton Stokes was an American politician of the Democratic party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Elected on November 7, 1967, but took office on Jan 1, 1968, he was the first African American mayor of a major U.S. city. Fellow Ohioan Robert C. Henry was the first African...
, who he had narrowly defeated in the 1965 general election. Stokes went on to defeat Republican Seth Taft
Seth Taft
Seth Chase Taft is an American politician of the Republican party. He is the grandson of President William Howard Taft and the son of Cincinnati, Ohio, mayor Charles Phelps Taft II and Eleanor Chase Taft, whose father ran the Waterbury, Connecticut Clock Company. Taft had five sisters and one...
in the general election, becoming the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
mayor of a major U.S. city.
Locher went on to be elected a probate court judge in 1970, and was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 1977, serving two terms. Though a Democrat, he became increasingly conservative as he got older and with longevity in office frequently voting with Republican justices on worker's compensation and other employment issues. He died in 2004.