Shirla R. McClain

Shirla Lorraine Robinson McClain, Ph.D. is an American educator. Dr. McClain is best known for her doctoral dissertation on the history of African Americans in Akron. The dissertation was the first comprehensive history of African–Americans in Akron. While she planned to have her dissertation commercially published, she was unable to see this desire come to pass prior to her death in 1997. The work has been posthumously published online through a joint effort of the McClain family, the University of Akron, and the Akron-Summit County Public Library. She was a native of Akron, Ohio.

Personal background

Shirla Lorraine Robinson was born in 1935 in Akron, Ohio to Dumas and Marcella Robinson. She had four siblings, including brothers Dumas and Duane, and sisters Sheila and Faith. She married Henry McClain on April 6, 1957. Together, they had two children, Kelli and Scott.
She attended the University of Akron, from where she received her Bachelor's and Master's degree, as well as her doctorate in education in 1956, 1970, and 1975, respectively. After earning her bachelor's degree, she taught elementary and secondary education for the first part of her career, additionally serving as a supervisor in the Akron Public School system.

Professional background

After earning her Ph.D. in 1975, McClain joined the faculty of Kent State University in the College of Education, where she taught elementary and secondary education through 1987. She additionally served as a professor of education and assistant director of teacher preparation at Walsh University in Canton, Ohio.
During her career, McClain published over 15 articles and 45 academic papers. In 1994, she was honored with the University of Akron's Alumni Honor Award for Excellence in Professional Achievement in 1994.