Laura Meckler: Shaker Heights and the Surprising Power of a Work in Progress

Laura Meckler, national education writer for the Washington Post, is the recipient of the 2024 Ohio Book Award for Book About Ohio or an Ohioan for her book Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity. Her book examines the history of and ongoing efforts towards racial integration and equity in the Cleveland suburb. A native of Shaker Heights, she examines the city in three sections: the founding of Shaker Heights, the arrival of the first black families, and the current focus on closing the academic achievement gap. This last is the most difficult to understand: Why does the gap persist? What should be done differently? How can the work of so many well-intentioned people not fulfill the promise of racial integration in America?

As I discovered in talking with Meckler, it’s a thorny, difficult issue, one compounded by multiple factors, of which race is just one. Listen in to hear her thoughts on the struggles and where she finds hope in the relentless efforts of Shaker Heights citizens. Then, read the book and learn why it’s an award winner.

You can meet Laura Meckler and the other winners of the 2024 Ohio Book Awards on October 29 at the Ohio Statehouse.

About Doug Dangler

Current: Host of Craft on WCBE, 90.5 FM, central Ohio's NPR station. Former: creator, host, and producer of Writers Talk
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