Lawrence Payne left an indelible mark on the city of Cleveland and the struggle for equal rights for all Americans. Born in Columbus, Payne came to Cleveland after serving in France during World War I and enrolled in John Marshall School of Law. Shortly after graduation, he was named the city’s first African-American assistant police prosecutor. In 1929 he was elected to the Cleveland City Council, where he was successful in maneuvering African-Americans into the School of Nursing, internships in the City Hospital and offices of local governments. Payne is credited with reforms in the police force and corrections system. In 1949 he joined with William Otis Walker in forming the city’s most influential African-American newspaper, the Call and Post. From 1938-1945 he served as a member of the State Parole Board.