Left: David Stokes and his family, 1906. Right: Stokes & Wiley Grocery Store and Mercantile Hall, about 1912.

David S Stokes

David Stokes, the son of Robert Stokes’ sister, came to Riverside after hearing from his uncle that Riverside offered better opportunities than he could find in the South. In 1905, he and associates built the Colored American Mercantile Hall at 2931 12th Street in Riverside. According to The Colored Citizen newspaper, “This was the biggest […]