The Americans with Disabilities Act Signing Ceremony on July 26, 1990 : short video chronicles the historic event

The ADA stands as one of the most important civil rights documents in the history of the United States, as it guaranteed for the first time that all People with Disabilities have the right to participate fully as equal members in society.

                                          

Signing Ceremony for Americans with Disabilities Act - National Archives and Records Administration (1990-07-26 - ARC 1656530, LI 220-DISAB-1) 
South Lawn, White House

The short video chronicles the events of July 26, 1990, when four thousand people gathered on the South Lawn of the White House to witness then President George H.W. Bush sign the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law.

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American History from the Presidential Libraries 

By Susan K. Donius, Director of the Office of Presidential Libraries, U.S. National Archives (posted July 26, 2012)

This year marks the 22nd (25th*) Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In 1990, President George H.W. Bush (RIP 2018) signed the Act into law on the White House South Lawn in front of an audience of 3,000 people. On that day, America became the first country to adopt a comprehensive civil rights declaration for people with disabilities.

The ADA was a landmark moment in history, designed to provide universal accessibility in the areas of employment, public service, public accommodations and telecommunications. As President Barack Obama noted in 2009 at the signing of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Proclamation, the ADA “was a formal acknowledgment that Americans with disabilities are Americans first, and they are entitled to the same rights and freedoms as everybody else: a right to belong and participate fully in the American experience; a right to dignity and respect in the workplace and beyond; the freedom to make of our lives what we will.”

Among the holdings of the Presidential Libraries of the National Archives are many letters, meeting notes, photos and White House memos that document the collaborative process of creating the ADA. The Presidential Libraries have protected and shared the records of every Presidential administration since 1929, and the history of people with disabilities is woven throughout.

Sierra Gregg is a second year intern in the Office of Presidential Libraries, who recognizes the importance of sharing Presidential records related to disability history. She has been closely involved in a project to make a selection of these documents accessible to a wide audience. The following post is written by Sierra, about the Americans with Disabilities research page that is now available on the National Archives website.

I was born visually impaired one year after the signing of the ADA. I have grown up in a world where my visual impairment is not a hindrance to my success, only a characteristic of who I am. The ADA has made it possible for me to get the help I need to work toward my academic and professional goals.

However, the story of disability civil rights did not start with the ADA and it certainly did not end on that day 22 years ago. The efforts to ensure independence and equality for people with disabilities have a long and fascinating history. Throughout the course of two summer internships, I have worked on the Presidential Libraries team to collect a small sample of records related to Americans with disabilities. This collection will be added to the research topic section of the National Archives’ website and will contain at least one record from every Presidential administration since Herbert Hoover.

Although the collection contains records related to different disabilities, the records directly related to visual impairments are particularly meaningful to me. I believe my favorite record in the collection is a Braille letter written to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 by then-thirteen-year-old John Beaulieu. I first saw the letter on display in the Public Vaults exhibit of the National Archives in Washington, D.C. I still wish I could read the words with my fingers instead of just listening to the description. I was duly impressed that Beaulieu wrote the letter using a slate and stylus; I never quite mastered the art of using the slate. In order to write using the slate and stylus a thick piece of paper is placed face down in the slate, the stylus is used to punch out dots in the paper. The trick is every letter has to be written backwards so it can be read when the page is flipped.

The collection also contains two letters written to President Herbert Hoover by Helen Keller. She wrote letters to eight U.S. Presidents, starting in 1903 with Theodore Roosevelt. She also personally met 13 Presidents from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon B. Johnson. I must admit to feeling a twinge of envy when I learned that during a visit to the White House, she investigated her historic surroundings with touch. She even identified a bust of George Washington with her fingers.

The Americans with Disabilities research collection currently includes more than 50 different records. They range from Keller’s letters to President Hoover to photos of a White House dinner hosted by President Clinton, honoring the Special Olympics. It’s a resource that will continue to grow, and one that sheds light on an important part of disability, and American, history.

# Learn more by visiting the Americans with Disabilities research page from the Presidential Libraries at: https://www.archives.gov/research/americans-with-disabilities.

# Susan K. Donius is the Director of the Office of Presidential Libraries at the National Archives and Records Administration.
# Sierra Gregg is a senior at Truman State University in Missouri where she is studying computer science. This year, she was awarded a scholarship from the National Federation of the Blind.

For all posts on American with Disabilities History CLICK HERE 

# post was originally posted July, 2011.

U.S. Presidents with Disabilities

Our nation has had a distinguished line of presidents with a variety of visible and non-visible disabilities, from epilepsy to hearing impairments to learning disabilities

U,S, Presidents speaking publicly about their disability was discouraged during their lifetime. 

On President's Day (and everyday) we honor them for overcoming the challenges they faced as individuals with disabilities and for leading and serving our country. 

William Jefferson Clinton, 1946- (hearing impairment)
42nd President of the United States (1992-2000); wears hearing aids.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1890-1969 (learning disability)
34th President of the United States (1953-1960); leader of the victorious Allied forces in Europe during World War II.

Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826 (learning disability)
3rd President of the United States (1801-1809); author of the Declaration of Independence; remembered as a great president, a diplomat, political thinker, and founder of the Democratic Party; reported to have many learning difficulties.

John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 (learning disability, chronic back pain)
35th President of the United States (1960-1963); the youngest man ever elected President and the youngest ever to die in office;  won world respect as the leader of the Free World.

Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865 (major depression)
16th President (1860-1863); suffered from severe, incapacitating, and occasional suicidal depression; also thought to have Marfan Syndrome.

James Madison, 1751-1836 (epilepsy)
4th President (1809-1817); drafted the Bill of Rights; often referred to as the Father of the Constitution; played a leading role in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 where he helped design the checks and balances system that equalizes the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; also created the federal system.

Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004 (hearing impairment)
40th President of the United States (1980-1988); also served two terms as governor of California; in 1932 became a radio announcer for WOC in Davenport, Iowa and later WHO in Des Moines, Iowa; in 1937 he signed a contract with Warner Brothers and his first film was “Love is on the Air.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1882-1945 (polio)
32nd President of the United States (1933-1945); promised to create jobs for the unemployed and gave assistance to those in need; suffered with polio and worked very hard to hide the extent of his disability.

Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919 (visual impairment)26th President of the United States (1901-1909); founder of the Progressive Party; an avid boxer, he suffered a severe blow to the head that detached his retina and led to blindness in the affected eye. 

George Washington, 1732-1799 (learning disability)
1st President of the United States (1789-1797); was unable to spell throughout his life and his grammar usage was very poor; thought to have learning disabilities.

Woodrow Wilson, 1856-1924 (learning disability)
28th President of the United States (1913-1921); had a stroke toward the end of his term that left him partially paralyzed; known to have a dyslexia; World War I leader awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Versailles Treaty, 1919; domestic reforms included 1914 creation of Federal Reserve.

Donald J. Trump, 2017 - (Suspected ADHD) The current president is believed to have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , though not officially diagnosed or acknowledged by the White House.

# originally posted July 2015

Wade Blank 1940-1993, Disability Rights Movement Advocate Remembered

The following history of ADAPT's founder Wade Blank, a non-disabled former nursing home recreational director who assisted several residents to move out and start their own community. The Atlantis Community. The below article from the Ragged Edge- July/August 1993 will offer a look into the history and achievement's of Wade Blank and fellow advocates. Also below is a remembrance by Justin Dart after the unexpected passing of his friend, and fellow advocate.
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Article published by the Ragged Edge- July/August 1993.

Wade Blank

The death of the Reverend Wade Blank on February 15, 1993, left a profound emptiness in the hearts of many people who loved and respected him. But any void in the disability rights movement is only momentary, for Blank left behind scores of human values, a keen analysis – and scores of skilled, committed leaders ready to carry the movement forward.

American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT) and its mother, the Atlantis Community in Denver, both embody the spiritual, organizational and strategic lessons Blank carried over from the 1960s black civil rights movement. He had been a Presbyterian minister, a War on Poverty field organizer and a disciple of Dr. Martin Luther King, jr., before becoming an orderly, then an assistant administrator, in a Denver nursing home.

Liberated Community
Early in his career as a iconoclastic minister and civil rights worker, Blank developed the concept of a "liberated community" – a society where human beings could live in equality and develop the power to effect change. When, at the Heritage House nursing home, he found himself in the midst of a "community" of people with severe disabilities, whose only community structure was one of oppression – the confines of the institution – he took on the challenge of making the "liberated community" a reality.

It all started when Blank came to Denver seeking a change. "The nursing home industry in Denver recruited its nursing home administrators from the ranks of ex-ministers," he recalled recently… A nursing home executive called Blank. "They said, ‘You’re young. You’re hip. Could you start a youth wing for us?’ So, I started a youth wing."

Hired by Heritage House in December 1971, Blank went to visit the residents the evening before he began his new job. "I remember for dinner that night we had baked potatoes, applesauce and scrambled eggs, and that was near Christmas. The place was like a morgue. The food was cold." Blank chatted with severely disabled individuals, some of whom would later become ADAPT organizers. "Little did I know," Blank recalled, "that I was to enter the most important moment of my life.

"I had 60 young people I recruited. Every morning at 7:30, they’d get dressed and get on a school bus, and go to a workshop and count fish hooks. Called it (a) work activities program."

At council meetings of the young people, the residents made simple requests, and an idealistic Blank tried to implement them. "I let them evaluate the nurses," he said. "They wanted co-ed living. They wanted to have pets. They wanted to have rock ‘n’ roll bands. So three years into this experiment, the nursing home is just like a college dorm on a crazy weekend all the time.

"I was trying to change it from inside, and I didn’t understand the monster I worked for," he recalled.

Outside of the Home
In 1975, Blank proposed "that we move a few of them out into apartments, and we let the aides and orderlies punch in at the nursing home, then go to the apartment and give them service." That idea got Blank fired. "The nursing home saw where I was going, and they couldn't let me go in that direction."

Once Blank was fired, the nursing home erased all his reforms. "They came in and they took all the stereos and TVs out of everybody’s rooms, had the dog pound come by and get all the animals and in one day it went from everything I’d built for four years – to that."

But Blank wasn’t about to give up. Thinking to himself that he’d "recruited all these people to this hell," he decided simply to move them out "and do the care myself…

Atlantis Community
"Within the first six months, I’d moved 18 severely disabled people out. So now I was wed to the concept. You know, I couldn’t walk away from it."

That exodus laid the foundations for the Atlantis Community and its political-action offshoot, ADAPT. "We began t learn about power and what empowerment is, and how to use it," Blank said. While Atlantis was liberating people from nursing homes, ADAPT (which then stood for American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit) took on discrimination in Denver’s, and then the nation’s, bus systems. Using non-violent, direct-action tactics similar to King’s movement, ADAPTers made bold demands and achieved extraordinary results.

Blank had found himself at the center of another civil rights campaign, similar to the one he had seen African Americans wage. "All the issues are the same," Blank asserted. "The black movement wanted to ride the buses equally. The black movement wanted to eat at the Woolworth’s counters. The black movement wanted the right to vote. The black movement wanted the right to keep their families together. The black movement wanted the right to be integrated into the school system. That’s what the disability rights movement wants, exactly…

"My members are into confrontation. We’ll tell somebody what we want, and we’ll talk about it once or twice, but that’s it. Then we deal with you. Either we’ll shut you down or whatever."

Confrontation worked, Blank believed, because it took society’s fears – those fears we’re always trying to dispel in disability awareness workshops – and turned them to a new use…

"So I said," (Blank explained, recalling earlier successes in the black civil rights movement), "…‘Let’s take 25 wheelchairs and go out and surround a bus and hold it and see what happens." Bam! Just like magic. It worked. Total power. Police couldn’t move the wheelchairs because they were afraid. The mayor said, ‘Don’t arrest disabled people.’ We win…"

Focus on Fundamental Human Rights
Blank’s focus on fundamental human rights and on the most impoverished members of the disability community distanced him from more affluent groups. In this, too, he emulated Martin Luther King. "King involved the poorest in the community," Bank said, "and a movement cannot really change things unless they address the poorest, the least. When King was shot, he was beginning to attack the ghettos." For Blank, "Our ghettos are the nursing homes, and we need to address the ghetto."

Blank attacked not only the mainstream disability movement’s economic hierarchy but also its disability hierarchy. "You go around to independent living centers and you’ll see a lot of post-polios and a lot of spinal cord injuries," he said. "But you won’t see people that slobber and can’t speak clearly…" These are the people often excluded or left behind by more "respectable" advocacy organizations, he pointed out…

Blank found leadership qualities in people who had never before thought of being leaders: former nursing home residents, people with speech impairments, people labeled retarded and others typically disenfranchised both by society at large and by traditional disability organizations. Blank had little patience for people who put their own egos or their own careers above the movement.

But more people were and are being empowered every year to free Americans with disabilities from institutions. All are encouraged to help plan protests, identify issues and targets, hold press conferences, and become a part of the "liberated community."

# article originally published in the Ragged Edge- July/August 1993

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photo: Wade Blank with his son Lincoln and fellow Atlantis cofounder Michael Auberger celebrate the laying of the plaque, dedicated to the original protesters - The Gang of 19 - who blocked the intersection to protest the inaccessible buses in 1978.

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The Reverend Wade Blank, 1940-1993 is a tribute to Wade Blank written by Justin Dart in 1993.

Press Release in 1993:                                                                                                                            

The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities 

Justin Dart, Chairman

The Reverend Wade Blank, 1940-1993

Disability rights leader Wade Blank died on February 15 in rough seas off of a beach at Todos Santos, Mexico. He was trying, unsuccessfully, to save his drowning eight year old son, Lincoln.

It is always a tragedy when great lives are cut short by apparently preventable events. But to dwell on the tragedy of Wades Blank’s death would be a very large disservice to the future. Wade’s life is the message. His existence was a towering triumph that demands to be shouted, to be heard, to be acted on.

Unlike others who participated in the sixties revolution for a rational society, Wade did not give up the struggle when it became unfashionable. In 1974 he founded [the first Center for Independent Living in Colorado,] the Atlantis Community in Denver – a radical program to enable people with severe disabilities to leave the isolation of nursing homes and live in the mainstream. Atlantis was a success. But it soon became apparent that the mainstream itself was polluted by devastating discrimination which prevented people with disabilities from fulfilling their humanity.

In the tradition of Martin Luther King, Wade made equal access to bus transport the symbol of full equality: “Rosa Parks protested the indignity of being forced to sit in the back of the bus. We can’t get on the bus at all.” On July 5th and 6th, 1978, he and nineteen people with disabilities illegally detained an inaccessible bus at the intersection of Broadway and Colfax in Denver. ADAPT was born – American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit. During the next twelve years hundreds of ADAPT activists blocked buses, streets, hotels and government buildings across North America. They filled the police records of the jails of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Little Rock, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Reno, Montreal and Washington, DC. Wade, Mike Auberger, Bob Kafka, Mark Johnson, George Roberts, Larry Ruiz, Rick James, Stephanie Thomas and Anita Cameron were arrested 15-30 times each. Molly Blank, Babs Auberger, Frank McComb, Lori Eastwood, Bobby Simpson, Melvin Conrady, Beverly Furnice, Joe Carle, Karen Tarnley, Ann Sawtel, Sue Davis, Diane Coleman and many others were co-heros in the long struggle.

In March of 1990, with the fate of the ADA hanging in the balance, Wade organized the historic march of disability rights leaders from the White House to the US Capitol to demand a law that would provide full equality, “with no weakening amendments.”

People with severe disabilities crawled up the Capitol steps and were arrested demonstrating in the rotunda. ADA passed in July – with no weakening amendments. Without the courage and inspiration of Wade Blank and his colleagues, the world would not have its first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities.

After the passage of ADA, knowing that the job of justice was far from completed, Wade and the members of ADAPT refocused their advocacy. They demanded that the federal government provide funds for personal assistance services that would enable persons with disabilities now trapped in nursing homes to live free in their communities. The demonstrations – and the arrests – continue. Progress is being made. President Clinton has promised to form a task force that will create a national program of personal assistance services.

Some – mostly those that didn’t know him – have said that Wade’s methods were “extreme.” They said that civil disobedience in the eighties and nineties is “passe,” “obsolete,” “inappropriate.” The same kinds of things were said about Washington, Jefferson, Gandhi and Martin Luther King. What is extreme, what is inappropriate is millions of human beings living with less dignity than we accord to our pet dogs and cats. What is inappropriate is American citizens imprisoned without due process of law in oppressive institutions and rat infested back rooms. What is inappropriate is people with disabilities living and begging in the streets. What is inappropriate, what is unspeakably immoral, is a society that cannot be bothered to make the simple changes necessary to give its own children the opportunity of full humanity.

It has been my privilege to work closely with Wade Blank during the last several years. He demonstrated against a meeting I chaired – when HHS Secretary Louis Sullivan spoke at the 1991 PCEPD annual conference in Dallas. We counseled together by telephone at all hours of the day and night. We served together on the ADA Congressional Task Force and in negotiating ADA with the President of Greyhound. We marched together for equality in San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington. We were together in the freezing midnight outside the barricaded Department of Transportation in Washington. I never put myself in a position to be arrested. Wade said that was alright, because I could play a positive role within the system. I was never sure in my heart that I was on the right side of the bars. I knew he was.

Wade Blank was a sensitive philosopher of Democracy. He was a superb organizer. He was a mature, sophisticated politician. He had total honesty and total follow through. You could take his promises to the bank. These are rare and good qualities, but they alone would not have enabled him to use an unfashionable method to lead an unfashionable cause to an historic victory.

Wade had a magic sword. It was love. Unlike many with religious labels, he understood and lived the central commandment of his God, “that ye love one another as I have loved you.” He understood that love is not just smiling at nice people, but passionate, lifelong action to preserve and enlarge the joy, the dignity, the quality of every human life. He understood that love does not smother with criticism, care and control; it encourages, emancipates and empowers. He understood that love for all means justice for all.

Wade’s leadership of love made ADAPT the family for those who had no family, the family with justice, with hope, with transcending fulfillment. Wade’s love warmed and empowered us all. It breached the defenses and won the respect of Congresspersons, businesspersons, policepersons, jailers, judges and mayors. Again and again, it lifted my heart and my mind from selfcentered desperation of Washington politics to the dream.

Before he died, Wade planned a series of demonstrations for personal assistance services to be held in Washington, DC, on May 9th, 10th and 11th. These will go forward in his honor. There will be a tribute to him on Sunday, May 9th, at the Lincoln Memorial. Let us join together in memory of Wade – on May 9th, today, tomorrow, as long as life remains – to continue his struggle for a truly human society.

Let us pick up his sword of love and truth and courage, and use it – each in our own way – to cut the chains of all who are slaves to pity, prejudice and paternalism. Let us join in one voice to shout his shout – “free our people.” Let us embrace his golden heritage of responsible action for life, enlarge it in our own lives, and invest it in the lives of all who will come.

Wade, we love you. That’s easy. We will try our best to love each other as you loved us.

– Justin Dart
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"How Wade Blank Became a Disability Activist"
John Holland of Denver, Colorado speaks about working at the forefront of disability civil rights law as he protested and advocated alongside Wade Blank.
The is part of the "It's Our Story" project, there are many additional videos telling of the history and the people of the Disability Rights Movement.

YouTube published by It's Our Story

Ed Roberts an advocate for inclusion and equality for people with disabilities: "Free Wheeling" video (cc)

Ed Roberts was both an advocate and an activist. He was a leader in the disability civil rights movement and championed the rights of people with disabilities. He was the founder of the first Center for Independent Living and the World Institute on Disability. Ed advocated for his right to attend a university and was a activist in the 504 sit-in held in San Francisco. He was known for a lot of things by a lot of people, but most importantly he believed in empowering others to become advocates and activists.

The video is very informative, and helps to understand Ed Roberts philosophy.

YouTube Uploaded by yodisabledproud on Jan 20, 2012

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT - a Documentary about a renegade Jerry's Kid - and Jerry Lewis "MDA Telethon"

TRAILER - YouTube Uploaded by myartwork1 on Sep 15, 2008

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT is a half-hour documentary about a renegade Jerry's Kid named Mike Ervin. Mike was a Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) poster child in the 1960s. Today he is a disability rights activist who challenges the MDA's use of pity to raise money in its annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT follows Mike as he organizes Jerry's Orphans, a group that protests against the telethon each year. 

                     
The film offers a critique of the "pity approach" to fundraising by contrasting the telethon's outdated attitudes (personified by Jerry Lewis) with a view into the real life of a disability civil rights activist today.

For the Full Half Hour Documentary, and more go to 
"THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT" at:
http://www.thekidsareallright.org/watch.html

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RELATED POSTS:

"Adopt a Smart Ass Cripple" by Mike Ervin : Labor Day (MDA Telethon) 2011
https://abilitychicagoinfo.blogspot.com/2011/09/adopt-smart-ass-cripple-by-mike-ervin.html

JERRY'S ORPHANS PROTEST THE MDA TELETHON : The Story
https://abilitychicagoinfo.blogspot.com/2011/09/jerrys-orphans-protest-mda-telethon.html

A Test of Wills: Jerry Lewis, Jerry's Orphans, and the Telethon : article from "The Disability Rag" from 1992
https://abilitychicagoinfo.blogspot.com/2011/09/test-of-wills-jerry-lewis-jerrys.html

"Jerry's Orphans" ; MDA Telethon : Jerry Lewis speaks about the disabled (video)
https://abilitychicagoinfo.blogspot.com/2011/09/jerrys-orphans-mda-telethon-jerry-lewis.html
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Mike Ervin publishes and writes the Smart Ass Cripple blog at:
http://smartasscripple.blogspot.com/

# originally posted Sept. 2011

"WE WILL RIDE!" ADAPT "Gang of 19" in Denver; ORIGIN'S OF THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

photo: Wade Blank with his son Lincoln and fellow Atlantis cofounder Michael Auberger celebrate the laying of the plaque, dedicated to the original protesters - The Gang of 19 - who blocked the intersection to protest the inaccessible buses in 1978.

(July 26, 2015) marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and to commemorate the dedication of those involved in making this legislation a reality, the Denver Public Library's Western History/Genealogy department is currently processing a collection (Wade and Molly Blank Papers, WH2283) that intimately details the history and turmoil of the disability rights movement. Some of the foundational protests that ignited the movement took place on July 5-6, 1978, just around the corner from the Denver Public Library at Colfax and Broadway. Men and women of the Atlantis community, known as “The Gang of 19,” threw themselves in front of buses in an attempt to convey their disenfranchisement. This group blocked the intersection all day and night, chanting their mantra, “We will ride!” until representatives of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) were willing to talk about the absence of wheelchair-accessible buses. It was this initial protest that brought public light to the many other kinds of discrimination and abuse faced by the disabled community. 

ADAPT Bumper sticker supporting the Disability Rights movement.

Wade Blank, a Presbyterian minister from Ohio, first found his passion for civil rights when he marched with Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma, Alabama. But it wasn’t until 1971 when he began working as the Recreational Director of the youth wing for Heritage House, a nursing home for people with physical and mental disabilities, that he found his calling as an advocate for disability rights. Wade devoted his time and effort to improving the quality of life for the Heritage House youth and was resolute about liberating them from the less-than-ideal conditions of the nursing home. Heritage House refused to accept Blank’s insistence on helping the nursing home patients live independent lives, and he was fired for his progressive agenda. He refused to give up what he had started, so Blank founded Atlantis Community, Inc. in 1975 – an organization dedicated to providing free, individualized care to those in need including housing, meals, in-home care, and job training. Blank inspired a national movement for the differently-abled by advocating for equal opportunity rights ranging from humane, independent care to wheelchair-accessible public transit. In order for these people to live independently, they needed transportation, and so ADAPT was born.   

ADAPT members march in Los Angeles to protest the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in October of 1985.

The overarching mission of the Atlantis Community was, and still is, to provide as many of life’s necessities—the necessities often taken for granted by those who do not live life with a physical or mental disability—as possible. Blank and those who resided at Atlantis decided to form an activist group to garner as much attention as possible for disability rights – ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today; once known as the American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit). The members of this militant-style activist group first focused their efforts on the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the origin of the initial rallies, which drew major attention to the cause. ADAPT members traveled across the nation protesting the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and various bus companies, like Greyhound, to get wheelchair lifts installed on buses. Many ADAPT members were arrested during these protests, calling further attention to the lack of preparedness of local police departments’ inaccessible squad cars and facilities. Police officers erected makeshift barriers to detain the ADAPT members in wheelchairs because they had no other way of arresting and transporting the protestors. The second major wave of ADAPT protests targeted Social Security, health care policies, and Medicaid. Their ultimate goal was to obtain government support for attendant care and independent living funds. Eventually, ADAPT began protesting restaurants, schools, parking lots, post offices, housing communities, casinos, churches, and more. Wherever wheelchairs could not go, ADAPT was there to take action and demand access. 

ADAPT members block a bus with their wheelchairs to demonstrate RTD's inaccessible buses on February 15, 1985.

It took Blank and members of ADAPT decades to encourage legislation that demanded equal access to public transit, in addition to accessible public restrooms, airlines, and courthouses, for patrons using wheelchairs. Even after Blank’s tragic death in 1993, his family and the members of both the Atlantis Community and ADAPT continued his legacy by fighting against the discrimination that differently-abled people still face to this day. 

Denver Public Library Article by KATIE RUDOLPH for  | May 18, 2015

https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/we-will-ride-origin-disability-rights-movement-denver-0

# previous post

Disability Activist Ed Roberts on "60 Minutes" in 1989 with Harry Reasoner (cc)

Published on Jan 23, 2013

As Broadcast on CBS in 1989. More Information Available At: http://www.mnddc.org/ed-roberts/index...

Ed Roberts (January 23, 1939-March 14, 1995) was the first student with severe disabilities to attend the University of California, Berkeley. He was a pioneering leader of the disability rights movement. Roberts contracted polio at the age of fourteen in 1953, spending eighteen months in hospitals and returning home paralyzed from the neck down.

Determined to live with a positive personal sense of disability identity, his activism began when he returned to school and needed to fight to receive his high school diploma, continuing through his attendance at Berkeley where he paved the way for other students with severe disabilities, who joined him in his efforts to advocate for changes to their treatment and services.

He became the head of the Berkeley Center for Independent Living (CIL), the first independent living service and advocacy program run by and for people with disabilities. In 1976 California Governor Jerry Brown appointed him Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation, where he served until 1983. He returned to Berkeley and co-founded the World Institute on Disability.
# originally posted July 2013

Deplorable Treatment of People with Intellectual Disabilities at Henry's Turkey Farm in Iowa : Disability History

For decades dozen of men with developmental disabilities lived in a old school house and worked at a turkey plant. No one knew the conditions and abuse they endured.

Hopefully the actual story of the these men's life will raise awareness and help prevent similar situations from occurring ever in the future.

The ‘Boys’ in the Bunkhouse

          Toil, abuse and endurance in the heartland.

CLICK HERE for Very Detailed N.Y.  Times Article

For Previous Posts on  Henry's Turkey Farm CLICK HERE

# originally posted March 2014, in honor of the anniversary of ADA, as history of the disability community.

Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann 1984 Video Interview, Disability Rights Movement History

In a historic interview in Stockholm in January 1984 are Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann. Invited by Adolf Ratzka to participate in a three day conference on Independent Living in December 1983 their visit marks the beginning of the Independent Living Movement in Sweden. Ed and Judy had just co-founded the World Institute on Disability and were already prominent movement leaders in the US and internationally. For an account of their careers see the homepage of the World Institute on Disability.

In the interview the two leaders outline the Independent Living philosophy and its relevance for people with disabilities everywhere and show how our countries’ policies affect our ability as individuals with a disability to live and work in the community, have families of our own and take responsibility for our lives.

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Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann in 1984 interview from Independent Living Institute on Vimeo.
.The interview was produced by Marianne Gillgren.

# previously post.

Special Olympics 50th Anniversary in 2018, Announces Chicago as Location for the Global Celebration Events

July 20, 2017  -- Today, at Chicago's Soldier Field, the location of the first-ever Special Olympics Games, it was announced that Chicago will host the Special Olympics movement's 50th Anniversary global celebration events July 17 – 22, 2018. Mary Davis, Special Olympics International CEO, and Justice Anne Burke, who founded Special Olympics Chicago, announced the news along with other organizers of the upcoming events.

Special Olympics International, Special Olympics Illinois and Special Children's Charities have united to host nearly a week of exciting events to celebrate the past 50 years of Special Olympics and to launch the movement into the future.

YouTube published by Special Olympics

"The 50th Anniversary will be a pivotal moment for Special Olympics, as we aim to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and as the leaders of inclusion through sport," shared Mary Davis. "We have spent the past 50 years breaking down barriers for our athletes and creating opportunities through sport, but we still have much more work to do. For our 50th Anniversary, we are inviting all to join us as we shape a more accepting and inclusive future."

"The torch that was lit here at Soldier Field 49 years ago today ignited a fire that will never die as long as we continue to celebrate the bravery of inspirational individuals - like Kevin O'Brien, Michael Cusack and others - who competed in 1968 and became examples, inspiring future Special Olympics athletes, here and around the world, to find the courage to enter the competition," added Justice Burke.

Events planned for July 2018 in Chicago include the first-ever Special Olympics Unified Football (Soccer) Cup, a tournament of 24 men's and women's teams comprised of people with and without intellectual disabilities from countries around the globe.

Also planned is a star-studded concert, establishment of a Special Olympics Eternal Flame of Hope monument to symbolize the ongoing drive towards creating inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities, and a Change the Game Day event where the public is welcome to play unified and join in fun athletic competition with Special Olympics athletes at Soldier Field.

Also revealed today was a traveling 50th Anniversary Museum which, throughout 2018, will traverse the State of Illinois, sharing the history of Special Olympics. The travelling museum will visit Special Olympics Illinois competitions along with high-profile state, county and municipal events, educating its public on the history of Special Olympics, its impact socially through sport, and invite people to come to Chicago in July 2018 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary. The community is welcome to donate items and memories to the museum.

Anyone interested in learning more can visit www.SpecialOlympics50.org

History of Special Olympics                                                                                                           

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

In the midst of all of the tumultuous unrest of 1968, an event was held at Soldier Field, in Chicago, Illinois on July 20. By its very nature, this was a revolutionary moment in time. The world witnessed for the first time a sports competition for people with intellectual disabilities from 26 states and Canada. It may come as a shock today to learn that many of the participants needed government pardons to leave the institutions in which they lived to travel to Chicago to compete. Eunice Kennedy Shriver led this community – who had been locked away and condemned to exist on the margins -- out of the shadows and into one of the largest stadiums in the U.S. It was their chance, their moment, to show the world what they could accomplish.

The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago, a joint venture between the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation and the Chicago Park District. The advisory committee to the Chicago Special Olympics included Dr. William Freeberg, Southern Illinois University; Dr. Frank J. Hayden, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation; Dr. Arthur Peavy; William McFetridge, Anne McGlone Burke and Stephen Kelly of the Chicago Park District; and Olympic decathlon champion Rafer Johnson. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was honorary chairman. Dr. Hayden was also executive director of the Games.

About Special Olympics                                                                                                                  
Special Olympics is a global organization, with over 5 million athletes in 170 countries around the world, that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sport, every day around the world. Through programming in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, solving the global injustice, isolation, intolerance and inactivity they face. Special Olympics Illinois provides opportunities for more than 22,500 of these athletes, more than 20,000 Young Athletes (ages 2 – 7 years old), 45,000 volunteers and thousands more people statewide through 18 Area programs in all 102 counties of the state. Special Children's Charities is the fundraising arm of Special Olympics in Chicago. In cooperation with the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools and Special Olympics Illinois, Special Children's Charities is committed to providing year-round sports training, recreational and social programs for the children and adults of Special Olympics in Chicago.

SOURCE Special Olympics http://www.SpecialOlympics50.org

10 Things to Know about the ADA (part 2)

In the Spirit of the Anniversary of the ADA - July 26th, 1990, we are reposting information of history, informative of the Americans with Disabilities Act. (within the post there are many links, if any are no longer working, or outdated info, please let us know so we can update TY.)

as shared and originally published by Disability.gov ...

10 Things to Know about the ADA and Beyond

July 26, 2016 was the 26th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For more information on how this groundbreaking law changed the lives of Americans with disabilities, and how Disability.gov is celebrating ADA26,. And be sure to check out Disability.gov’s “26 Days of the ADA: A to Z” on Twitter.

1. Talkin’ ‘bout the ADA Generation. Young people with disabilities are often called the “ADA Generation” because they were born or grew up after the ADA became a law. Laws such as the ADA exist thanks to the leadership of dedicated disability rights advocates, including Justin Dart, Jr., Ed Roberts and Judith Heumann. These individuals are positive role models that youth with disabilities should know about as they become the next generation of disability leaders. Justin Dart, Jr., called the “father of the ADA,” traveled around the U.S. gathering stories from people with disabilities about the discrimination they faced. These accounts directly impacted the creation of the ADA. Ed Roberts helped create the Independent Living Movement, formed the first Center for Independent Living and co-founded the World Institute on Disability with Judith Heumann. Heumann assisted with the passing of the ADA, served as the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and is now the State Department’s Special Advisor for International Disability Rights. Young people with disabilities who wish to follow in the footsteps of these leaders can start by reading these self-advocacy guides.

2. The ADA & Service Animals. Many people with disabilities use service animals to help them with daily activities so they can live as independently as possible. The definition of a service animal is a dog that has been trained to assist a person with a disability in completing tasks that are directly related to their disability. This ADA National Network guide explains that emotional support, therapy, comfort or companion animals aren’t considered service animals and aren’t protected under the ADA. Service animals can be used in the workplace as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. Businesses and organizations that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels and retail stores, can’t refuse to serve a customer with a service animal, and neither can taxi drivers. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, people with disabilities are legally permitted to travel with service animals. The Transportation Security Administration has information about security screenings procedures for people with disabilities, including those using a service dog. It’s important that both travelers and transportation operators understand the rights of people traveling with a service animal.

3. Getting from Point A to Point D (& Back to Point A). Title II of the ADA protects people with disabilities against discrimination on all modes of public transportation services operated by state and local governments. In addition, the ADA applies to rail transit systems. The ADA doesn’t apply to air travel, which is instead covered under the Air Carrier Access Act. Under the ADA, the U.S. Department of Transportation provides paratransit services, which are door-to-door transportation services that eligible customers can use to travel within a specific area if they’re unable to use traditional “fixed-route” public transportation. The Amputee Coalition has afact sheet about paratransit that includes information on eligibility requirements. Read the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center’s tips for using ADA paratransit services or the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund’s guide, “ADA Paratransit Eligibility: How to Make Your Case” to learn more. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against because of your disability while using public transportation services, you can file a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration.

4. What the ADA Means for Small Businesses. Small business owners may need help understanding how the ADA applies to them. The two areas of the law that primary affect small businesses are Title I, which includes protections for employees and jobseekers with disabilities, and Title III, which prohibits discrimination against customers with disabilities by private businesses of any size, commercial facilities and other “public accommodations.” This can include movie theaters, hotels, grocery stores and sports arenas. The ADA requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide “reasonable accommodations” for employees with disabilities, unless doing so would cause undue hardship. The Job Accommodation Network has more information on reasonable accommodations, including average costs. Business owners can take an online course about how to be welcoming to customers with disabilities. Learn about ADA regulations related to service animals in places of business. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) offer detailed information about how the ADA applies to small businesses. For more information, read “Small Business and the ADA: Getting it Right.”

5. Protecting Your Right to Vote. All Americans with disabilities should be able to vote independently and accessibly. The ADA is one of several laws protecting those rights. These laws help ensure polling place accessibility and the availability of alternative voting methods and voting aids for voters with disabilities. The recently updated “ADA Checklist for Polling Places” has information about making polling places accessible. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission offers resources for voters with disabilities, including helpful tips and a video about polling place accessibility. Learn about the American Association of People with Disabilities’ REV UP voting initiative. The Arc’s voting toolkit includes voting resources and a blog post about how guardianship impacts voting rights. For more information, visit DOJ’s voting section or contact your state’s voting commission or board of elections. Learn how to file a complaint if you feel your voting rights have been violated. Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) to report voting issues or concerns.

6. How Do I Work & Care for a Family Member? The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires applicable employers to allow their employees to take unpaid leave for family and medical reasons, while still keeping their job. Under FMLA, an employee can take leave for up to 12 weeks within a 12-month period for the following reasons: a serious health condition; to care for a family member with a serious health condition; the birth and care of a newborn; or the adoption of a child or placement of a child from foster care with the employee. “Family” under FMLA includes your spouse, parents and children. Children older than 18 are also included under FMLA if they’re unable to take care of themselves and require assistance because of a disability. Qualification for leave also extends to military families when Service Members are on active duty. The National Partnership for Women and Families compiled this guide to help people understand their rights and responsibilities under the FMLA. Visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) website to learn more about how FMLA works, how to determine if you’re eligible and the process for taking leave.

7. A Bright IDEA for Education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted in 1975 to ensure that all children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education. The IDEA provides services for infants and toddlers from birth to age 2 (part C) and children and youth ages 3 – 21 (part B). The act includes provisions for early intervention services, which help babies with disabilities or developmental delays get the supports they need to meet developmental milestones. If you’re concerned about your child’s development, contact your pediatrician for a developmental evaluation. Find early intervention services in your state. For school-age children, IDEA covers special education services, classroom accommodations and supports and school-to-work transition. Every student who receives special education services must have an individualized education program, which contains goals for the student and spells out the services that will be provided. These goals and services are decided by a team of educators, the parents and the child. Contact your local Parent Center for more information on the IDEA, special education services and the rights of parents of children with disabilities.

8. Strengthening America’s Workforce through the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act. Two years ago this month, President Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law. WIOA helps modernize and streamline America’s public workforce system, and ensure that jobseekers, including people with disabilities, have access to employment, education and job training services. In June, DOL and the U.S. Department of Education released final rules for implementing WIOA. DOL’s Employment and Training Administration offers guidance to help workforce development agencies, American Job Centers and youth programs implement the law. Read this fact sheet or watch a video to learn more. WIOA also makes changes to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These changes ensure that federal contractors and subcontractors don’t discriminate against job applicants or employees with disabilities. DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has resources, including a checklist and answers to frequently asked questions, to help federal contractors make sure their recruiting, hiring and employment practices comply with Section 503. Find a list of organizations and programs that can help federal contractors recruit and hire qualified workers with disabilities.

9. GINA Prevents Discrimination. Some people have genetic differences that affect their chances of developing certain diseases or disorders. As scientists learn more about the profound impact these differences have on health, more and more tests are being developed to help prevent disease and treat patients. But what if your DNA was used to discriminate against you? The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), is a federal law put into place to prevent people from being treated unfairly because of their genetics. The law makes it illegal for health insurers and employers to refuse service or otherwise discriminate against a person because of their genetic makeup. It’s important to note that GINA doesn’t cover life insurance, disability insurance and long-term care insurance. Before GINA came into effect, several states had passed laws against genetic discrimination, but those laws varied widely. Since GINA is a federal law, it sets a minimum standard of protection that must be met in all 50 states, but doesn’t weaken the protections provided by state laws.

10. Olmstead for Community Living. Since the ADA was signed into law, there have been several legal cases regarding certain aspects of the law that have greatly impacted the lives of people with disabilities. One such case was Olmstead v. L.C., known as “Olmstead.” In that case, the Supreme Court of the United States found that the ADA prohibits the unnecessary segregation or institutionalization of people with disabilities. Olmstead requires states to ensure that people with disabilities receive services in the most integrated setting possible, including home and community-based settings. The case was brought by two women from Georgia who were receiving services at state-run institutions, even though it had been determined that they could have just as easily gotten treatment in home or community-based settings. After a series of appeals, the Supreme Court issued their groundbreaking ruling in July 1999. Olmstead has moved federal, state and local authorities to expand community-based services for people with disabilities. If you or a loved one needs help moving from a nursing home into the community, contact your local Center for Independent Living. Learn how to file a complainabout violations of the ADA’s “integration mandate.”

For more information on the ADA and other disability rights laws, visit Disability.gov’s Guide to Disability Rights Laws or Disability.gov’s Civil Rights section. Don’t forget to like Disability.gov on Facebook, follow us on Twitter  and use #DisabilityConnection to talk to us about this newsletter. You can also read Disability.Blog for insightful tips and information from experts in the community.

https://www.disability.gov/disability-connection-newsletter-july-2016/

For more on disability resources from  Disability.gov.

# related post:

10 Things You May Not Know about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Part 1