Before 1960, the Weequahic section of Newark, NJ, was largely an enclave of first-generation working-class Jewish families. During this era, Weequahic High School was one of the top public high schools in America, producing among its more famous graduates is the author, Philip Roth. After the 1967 Newark Riots, the Jewish families moved out and were replaced by poor African Americans, and over the next 30 years academic performance plummeted as gangs ruled campus and the streets. In 2001 the school saw the arrival of a new principal, Ron Stone, who vowed to return the school back to its former glory. By partnering with a committed alumni association, comprised mostly of older Jewish and younger African-American alums, to raise funds for programs and scholarships, Stone helped transform the gang culture of the school to one of discipline and performance. Heart of Stone shows how disparate groups can join together and give their old communities a future.