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ABriefHistoryoftheDisabilityRightsMovement Print

Americanswithdisabilitiesareagroupofapproximately50millionpeoplethattodaylead
independent,selfaffirminglivesandwhodefinethemselvesaccordingtotheirpersonhood
theirideas,beliefs,hopesanddreamsaboveandbeyondtheirdisability.Sincethemid
1900s,peoplewithdisabilitieshavepushedfortherecognitionofdisabilityasanaspectof
identitythatinfluencestheexperiencesofanindividual,notasthesoledefiningfeatureofa
person.

Peoplewithdisabilitieshavehadtobattleagainstcenturiesofbiasedassumptions,harmful
stereotypes,andirrationalfears.Thestigmatizationofdisabilityresultedinthesocialand
economicmarginalizationofgenerationsofAmericanswithdisabilities,andlikemanyother
oppressedminorities,leftpeoplewithdisabilitiesinaseverestateofimpoverishmentfor
centuries.

Inthe1800s,peoplewithdisabilitieswereconsideredmeager,tragic,pitifulindividualsunfit
andunabletocontributetosociety,excepttoserveasridiculedobjectsofentertainmentin
circusesandexhibitions.Theywereassumedtobeabnormalandfeebleminded,and
numerouspersonswereforcedtoundergosterilization.Peoplewithdisabilitieswerealso
forcedtoenterinstitutionsandasylums,wheremanyspenttheirentirelives.Thepurification
andsegregationofpersonswithdisabilitywereconsideredmercifulactions,butultimately
servedtokeeppeoplewithdisabilitiesinvisibleandhiddenfromafearfulandbiasedsociety.

ThemarginalizationofpeoplewithdisabilitiescontinueduntilWorldWarIwhenveteranswith
disabilitiesexpectedthattheUSgovernmentproviderehabilitationinexchangefortheir
servicetothenation.Inthe1930stheUnitedStatessawtheintroductionofmanynew
advancementsintechnologyaswellasingovernmentassistance,contributingtotheself
relianceandselfsufficiencyofpeoplewithdisabilities.

PresidentFranklinDelanoRoosevelt,thefirstpresidentwithadisability,wasagreatadvocate
fortherehabilitationofpeoplewithdisabilities,butstilloperatedunderthenotionthata
disabilitywasanabnormal,shamefulcondition,andshouldbemedicallycuredorfixed.

Inthe1940sand1950s,disabledWorldWarIIveteransplacedincreasingpressureon
governmenttoprovidethemwithrehabilitationandvocationaltraining.WorldWarIIveterans
madedisabilityissuesmorevisibletoacountryofthankfulcitizenswhowereconcernedfor
thelongtermwelfareofyoungmenwhosacrificedtheirlivestosecurethesafetyoftheUnited
States.

Despitetheseinitialadvancementsmadetowardsindependenceandselfreliance,peoplewith
disabilitiesstilldidnothaveaccesstopublictransportation,telephones,bathroomsandstores.
Officebuildingsandworksiteswithstairsofferednoentryforpeoplewithdisabilitieswho
soughtemployment,andemployerattitudescreatedevenworsebarriers.Otherwisetalented
andeligiblepeoplewithdisabilitieswerelockedoutofopportunitiesformeaningfulwork.

Bythe1960s,thecivilrightsmovementbegantotakeshape,anddisabilityadvocatessawthe
opportunitytojoinforcesalongsideotherminoritygroupstodemandequaltreatment,equal
accessandequalopportunityforpeoplewithdisabilities.Thestrugglefordisabilityrightshas
followedasimilarpatterntomanyothercivilrightsmovementschallengingnegative
attitudesandstereotypes,rallyingforpoliticalandinstitutionalchange,andlobbyingforthe
selfdeterminationofaminoritycommunity.

Disabilityrightsactivistsmobilizedonthelocalleveldemandingnationalinitiativestoaddress
thephysicalandsocialbarriersfacingthedisabilitycommunity.Parentadvocateswereatthe
forefront,demandingthattheirchildrenbetakenoutofinstitutionsandasylums,andplaced
intoschoolswheretheirchildrencouldhavetheopportunitytoengageinsocietyjustlike
childrenwhowerenotdisabled.

Inthe1970s,disabilityrightsactivistslobbiedCongressandmarchedonWashingtonto
includecivilrightslanguageforpeoplewithdisabilitiesintothe1972RehabilitationAct.In
1973,theRehabilitationActwaspassed,andforthefirsttimeinhistory,civilrightsofpeople
withdisabilitieswereprotectedbylaw.
TheRehabilitationActof1973(Section504)providedequalopportunityforemploymentwithin
thefederalgovernmentandinfederallyfundedprograms,prohibitingdiscriminationonthe
basisofeitherphysicalormentaldisability.Section504oftheRehabilitationActalso
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establishedtheArchitecturalandTransportationBarriersComplianceBoard,mandatingequal
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accesstopublicservices(suchaspublichousingandpublictransportationservices)topeople
withdisabilities,andtheallocationofmoneyforvocationaltraining.

In1975,theEducationforAllHandicappedChildrenActwaspassedtoguaranteeequal
accesstopubliceducationforchildrenwithdisabilities.Thisactoflegislationspecifiedthat
everychildhadarighttoeducation,andmandatedthefullinclusionofchildrenwithdisabilities
inmainstreameducationclasses,unlessasatisfactorylevelofeducationcouldnotbe
achievedduetothenatureofthechildsdisability.

TheEducationforAllHandicappedChildrenActwasrenamedin1990totheIndividualswith
DisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA),whichfurtherelaboratedontheinclusionofchildrenwith
disabilitiesintoregularclasses,butalsofocusedontherightsofparentstobeinvolvedinthe
educationaldecisionsaffectingtheirchildren.IDEArequiredthatanIndividualEducationPlan
bedesignedwithparentalapprovaltomeettheeducationalneedsofachildwithadisability.

Inthe1980s,disabilityactivistsbegantolobbyforaconsolidationofvariouspiecesof
legislationunderonebroadcivilrightsstatutethatwouldprotecttherightsofpeoplewith
disabilities,muchlikethe1964CivilRightsActhadachievedforBlackAmericans.TheCivil
RightsActof1964prohibiteddiscriminationonthebasisofrace,religion,nationalorigin,or
gender,butpeoplewithdisabilitieswerenotincludedundersuchprotection.

Afterdecadesofcampaigningandlobbying,theAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA)was
passedin1990,andensuredtheequaltreatmentandequalaccessofpeoplewithdisabilities
toemploymentopportunitiesandtopublicaccommodations.TheADAintendedtoprohibit
discriminationonthebasisofdisabilityin:employment,servicesrenderedbystateandlocal
governments,placesofpublicaccommodation,transportation,andtelecommunications
services.

UndertheADA,businessesweremandatedtoprovidereasonableaccommodationstopeople
withdisabilities(suchasrestructuringjobsormodifyingworkequipment),publicservices
couldnolongerdenyservicestopeoplewithdisabilities(suchaspublictransportation
systems),allpublicaccommodationswereexpectedtohavemodificationsmadetobe
accessibletopeoplewithdisabilities,andalltelecommunicationsservicesweremandatedto
offeradaptiveservicestopeoplewithdisabilities.Withthispieceoflegislation,theUS
governmentidentifiedthefullparticipation,inclusionandintegrationofpeoplewithdisabilities
inalllevelsofsociety.

WhilethesigningoftheADAplacedimmediatelegislativedemandstoensureequalaccess
andequaltreatmentofpeoplewithdisabilities,deeprootedassumptionsandstereotypical
biaseswerenotinstantlytransformedwiththestrokeofapen.Peoplewithdisabilitiesstillface
prejudiceandbiaswiththestereotypicalportrayalofpeoplewithdisabilitiesinthemoviesand
inthemedia,physicalbarrierstoschools,housingandtovotingstations,andlackof
affordablehealthcare.ThepromiseoftheADAisyettobefullyrealized,butthedisability
rightsmovementcontinuestomakegreatstridestowardstheempowermentandself
determinationofAmericanswithdisabilities.

Glossary

Advocate:apersonthatarguesforacause,asupporterordefender.

Allocation:tosetapartforaspecialpurpose,todistributeaccordingtoaplan.

Marginalization:toconfinetoalowersocialstanding.

Mobilize:toassemble,prepare,orputintooperationforapurpose.

Rehabilitation:torestoretogoodcondition,health,andcapacity.

Selfdetermination:freedomofpeopletodeterminetheirownstatusandindependence.

Sterilization:theactofmakingapersoninfertile,orunabletoconceiveachild.

Stigmatization:tocharacterizeasdisgraceful.

Vocationaltraining:trainingforajob.
Sources:
YouarecurrentlybrowsingtheADLarchivewebsite.
DisabledRights:AmericanPolicyandtheFightforEqualitybyJacquelineVaughn
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Switzer(Washington,D.C.,GeorgetownUniversityPress,2003).
TheDisabilityRightsMovement:FromCharitytoConfrontationbyDorisZames
FleischerandFreidaZames(Philadelphia:TempleUniversityPress,2001).

2005AntiDefamationLeague