of America’s Heritage

O F F I C E O F D I S A B I L I T Y E M P L O Y M E N T P O L I C Y

Disability History:

An Important Part 

The Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA) was signed by President George H. 

W. Bush on July 26, 1990. As a result of 

this landmark legislation, communities 

and workplaces across the nation have 

become more inclusive and welcoming for 

America’s nearly 40 million people with 

disabilities.

Despite the ADA’s importance, however, 

many Americans are unfamiliar with the 

events that led to its passage. Inspired by 

the civil rights and anti-war movements of 

the 1960s and the feminist movement of 

the 1970s, disability leaders joined forces 

and took action, holding sit-ins in Federal 

buildings, blocking inaccessible buses from 

moving, drafting legislation, and protesting 

in the streets. And like the broader 

movements that preceded it, the disability 

rights movement had its own heroes and 

champions: Ed Roberts, Gini Laurie and 

Justin Dart to name a few.

Teaching children about the contributions 

of particular populations to our nation’s 

history, such as women and people of 

various ethnic backgrounds, has been 

recognized as important through the 

declaration of dedicated months as well as 

Defining the Next Generation

Cover montage photo credits: Top photo of FDR statue photographic collage courtesy Neal Presant 

and Jonathan Young. Bottom photo courtesy George Bush Presidential Library and Museum 
and Awareness Weeks” in Florida’s public 

schools. This initiative began when the FYC took 

its idea to the 2006 Family Café Conference in 

Orlando, where they met with then Governor 

Jeb Bush, who agreed to support the effort by 

issuing an Executive Order. Subsequently, bills 

have been introduced in both the Florida House 

and Senate. Florida’s youth leaders are now 

collaborating with youth leaders from other 

states interested in introducing similar bills. 

The North Carolina Youth Leadership Network 

(NCYLN) successfully advocated for the month of 

October to be devoted to “Disability History and 

Awareness.” In March 2007, proposed legislation 

was filed in the North Carolina House and 

Senate. To boost the effort, the NCYLN formed 

a partnership with the Alliance of Disability 

Advocates Center for Independent Living. With 

the backing of the disability community and 

other allies, including the North Carolina Parent 

Teacher Association, there was significant public 

support to pass the bill, which was signed by the 

Governor in July 2007. 

Washington State successfully passed a bill 

that established October as “Disability History 

Month” in all public schools. In passing the bill, 

the legislature stated that “recognizing disability 

history will inspire students with disabilities to 

feel a greater sense of pride, reduce harassment 

and bullying, and help keep students with 

disabilities in school.” Washington’s bill also 

requires public institutions of higher education 

to provide educational activities related to 

disability history during the month.

Reflecting one of its 2007 legislative priorities, 

the Idaho State Independent Living Council 

proposed legislation establishing the third 

week of October as “Disability History Week,” 

during which Idaho schools would be required 

to instruct on disability history, the independent 

living movement, and disability rights. A concurrent resolution making October “Disability 

History Month” was passed by the State Legislature in March and went into effect shortly 

thereafter. The resolution encourages education 

Photo courtesy Yoshiko Dart

other educational programs. Disability history, 

however, has been largely ignored in school 

curricula. This is particularly paradoxical since 

anyone, regardless of age, race, or heritage, may 

become a part of the population of people with 

disabilities at any time. But the tide is beginning 

to turn—due mainly to the grassroots efforts of 

young disability leaders.

Promoting Positive Change 

at the State Level

The youth-led movement for equal education 

on disability history celebrated its first victory 

in West Virginia in April 2006, when the West 

Virginia Youth Disability Caucus was 

instrumental in the passage of an act establishing 

the third week in October as “Disability History 

Week.” This legislation requires public schools 

to educate students about disability history, 

people with disabilities, and the disability 

rights movement and encourages colleges 

and universities to promote awareness and 

understanding of disability history. Further, 

it encourages the legislature to provide 

recognition of Disability History Week through 

an annual proclamation and provide resources 

for instruction and activities. 

Other states are following suit. The Florida 

Youth Council (FYC) is seeking to establish the 

first two weeks in October as “Disability History 
on disability history during October, but does 

not make it mandatory. Advocates are also 

trying to integrate disability history into the 

state curriculum and Idaho Standards 

Achievement Test. 

Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

These and other efforts to integrate disability 

history into schools and communities reflect 

one of the key components of effective youth 

leadership development—learning about the 

history, values, and beliefs of one’s society. 

Such youth leadership development experiences 

correlate with a number of positive outcomes, 

including decreases in negative behaviors 

(e.g., alcohol and tobacco use and violence) 

and increases in positive attitudes and behaviors 

(e.g., motivation, academic performance, 

self-esteem, problem-solving, positive health 

decisions, and interpersonal skills). Youth 

leadership development activities are similarly 

linked to increased self-efficacy and the 

development of skills such as goal-setting, 

decision-making, and working well with others, 

attributes essential for success in adulthood and 

employment—and future advocacy efforts.

Photo courtesy Ken Stein

Resources

Following are resources for educators and others to enhance awareness and understanding of 

disability history and the contributions of people with disabilities: 

ADL Curriculum Connections: 

Anti-Bias Lesson Plans and Resources 

for K–12 Educators

www.adl.org/education/curriculum_ 

connections/fall_2005/ 

This site provides curriculum suggestions 

for teaching disability history.

Center on Human Policies: 

Disability Studies for Teachers 

www.disabilitystudiesforteachers.org

This site is a reference tool for teachers in grades 

6-12. It includes lesson plans, activities, and materials for teaching disability history.

Disability History Museum

www.disabilitymuseum.org

This site promotes understanding about the 

historical experience of people with disabilities 

by recovering, chronicling, and interpreting their 

stories. The site’s library contains 

document and visual stills collections. 

Disability Social History Project 

www.disabilityhistory.org/index.html

This resource is a community history project that 

provides information about famous 

activists in the disability movement, a disability 

history timeline, and related information.

EDGE - Education for Disability 

and Gender Equity

www.disabilityhistory.org/dwa/edge/ 

curriculum/

This site includes a high school curriculum 

incorporating disability and gender issues 

into the Humanities and Sciences. 
Office of Disability Employment Policy - U.S. Department of Labor 

200 Constitution Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20210 

Voice: 1-866-ODEP-DOL (633-7365) • TTY: 1-877-889-5627

www.dol.gov/odep 

01.09

Resources (continued)

Family Village

www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/general/ 

history.html

This resource centralizes a number 

of resources on disability history.

Florida Youth Council 

www.ncld-youth.info/fyc.htm 

This site details the grassroots efforts 

to celebrate “Disability History and 

Awareness Weeks” in Florida and 

provides general information about 

disability history. 

Minnesota Governor’s Council 

on Developmental Disabilities 

www.mncdd.org/parallels/index.html 

This site provides extensive information 

on disability history.

Mountain State Centers 

for Independent Living

www.mtstcil.org/advocacy/ 

2006youth-sb472.html 

This page is dedicated to the youth 

who brought the “Establishing Disability 

History Week” law to West Virginia. 

 

Parent Advocacy Coalition 

for Educational Rights (PACER Center)

www.pacer.org/C3/curriculum/ 

Session2/

This page provides both resources and 

curricula for teaching disability history. 

Resource Center for Independent Living

www.rcil.com/DisabilityFAQ/ 

DisabilityRightsMovement.html 

This site provides a timeline of the 

disability civil rights movement.

Santa Monica College Accommodating 

Students with Disabilities

www.smc.edu/disabledstudent/Guide/

34philos.htm

This page offers insight into the 

philosophy behind disability rights. 

Smithsonian National Museum 

of American History

www.americanhistory.si.edu/ 

disabilityrights/welcome.html 

This site offers a virtual tour of the Disability 

Rights Movement Exhibit at the Smithsonian 

National Museum of American History. 

Tolerance.Org

www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/ 

activity.jsp?p=0&ar=872&pa=1 

This site contains activities that can be done in 

the classroom relating to disability history.

West Virginia Legislation

www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_

HTML/2006_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/

hb4491%20enr.htm

This is the West Virginia bill that established 

“Disability History Week” in the state. 

West Virginia News Release on Disability 

History Week

wvde.state.wv.us/news/1297

This page provides information to other states 

exploring ways to spread the word about their 

Disability History Weeks/Months. It also 

provides resources for teachers.