C. J. McLin

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C. J. McLin
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 36th district
In office
January 3, 1967 – December 12, 1988
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byRhine McLin
Personal details
Born
Clarence Josef McLin Jr.

May 31, 1921
East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.
DiedDecember 28, 1988(1988-12-28) (aged 67)
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
ChildrenRhine and Candace Smith
Parent

Clarence Josef McLin Jr. (May 31, 1921 – December 28, 1988) was an American mortician and politician who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 36th district from 1967 to 1988. His father was civil rights leader Mac McLin.

Early life[edit]

McLin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois and moved with his family to Dayton, Ohio in 1931, where he attended Dunbar High School and worked at the family business, the McLin Funeral Home. As a youth, McLin filed a civil rights lawsuit against McCrory's, a dime store at Fourth and Main streets in Dayton, for the store's refusal to serve him because of his race.[1]

Career[edit]

McLin was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1966 and assumed office in 1967. During his 22-year-long tenure, McLin became known as a powerful member of the House. He was also a close ally of Speaker Vern Riffe.[2] He also co-founded, with State Representative Larry G. Smith, the Black Elected Democrats of Ohio (later the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus) in 1967.[3]

McLin was sworn in a twelfth term in 1988, but died a few days later.[4] He was the longest-serving black legislator in Ohio history at the time of his death. His daughter, Rhine McLin was appointed to fill his seat.[5]

Personal life[edit]

He was the father of Candace Smith, an attorney, actress, model, and Miss Ohio (2003).[6] The US 35 expressway in west Dayton, which was completed in October 1996, is designated the C. J. McLin Jr. Parkway in honor of McLin's longtime advocacy for and work toward the construction of such a highway.[7][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Clarence Josef McLin, Jr. | Ohio Statehouse". www.ohiostatehouse.org. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  2. ^ "A Timeline: Black History in the Miami Valley 1798 to 2001". dayton-daily-news. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  3. ^ "CJ McLin". www.ohiochannel.org. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  4. ^ Ohio Rep. McLin: Ohio's top black legislator
  5. ^ Gray, David (2012). The History of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio F&AM 1971 – 2011: The Fabric of Freemasonry. Columbus, Ohio: Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio F&AM. p. 414. ISBN 978-0615632957. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2019-10-26.
  6. ^ Moss, Khalid (December 22, 2002). "Miss Ohio is Lifelong Achiever". Dayton Daily News. p. E3.
  7. ^ Staff (October 20, 1996). "The Chronology of U.S. 35 West". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  8. ^ Ali, Derek (October 26, 1996). "New Section of U.S. 35 Opens". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 2, 2017.