This year, Cleveland celebrates the 50th anniversary of Carl Stokes’ election as mayor of Cleveland with a series of community-wide events. As part of the celebration, the Cleveland Museum of Art has commissioned the Distinguished Gentlemen of Spoken Word to create and perform an original piece based on the writings and words of Carl Stokes and his brother, Congressman Louis Stokes Jr.

The Distinguished Gentlemen of Spoken Word are a group of African-American males, ages 8 to 18, who study the art of performance poetry. This special performance takes place at 2 p.m. today in the museum’s Gartner Auditorium. The event is free, but reservations are required.

To reserve tickets, visit the museum website or call the ticket office at the number below.

11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.

This article appears in May 10-16, 2017.