integrating shaker heights
my story
March 1961, my family moved from Cleveland to Shaker Heights Ohio. This was significant because the Whiting family were one of the first African-Americans to move into this rich, white, and oh-so exclusive suburb.
The timing was significant because this was the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. The news was full of tear gas, cattle prods, sit-in's, and the often violent pushback from racist white Americans.
I was 7 years old and entered the 1st grade at Onaway Elmentary School. I was the first and only Black student until my brother Steven and Nancy Lewis started there when I was in 4th grade.
After 50 years I had to tell my tale. Let’s face it, it was inside of me for half a century.
When I first posted this on Facebook & YouTube I was overwhelmed by the responses. People volunteered their own stories and memories. Some even began to write theirs up. I heard from old friends, shocked my new ones, and learned of antisemitism in Shaker as well as racism and classism. Please feel free to share memories here on this page. -Jerry
My thanks to Pirkle Jones and Elbert “Big Man” Howard who taught me how to share one’s life stories.
Family friend Paul Mason told his story in the 2004 ABC documentary The Reunion. This is my story.
All power to the people!
onaway ghoulardi photographs of civil rights movement black-buddhists ice cream ambient music
