Summary
In 1977, a group of disability rights activists occupied a federal building in San Francisco for 26 days. Led by Judy Heumann and Kitty Cone, the protestors were fighting for a new law to finally go into effect. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the first law ensuring civil rights for people with disabilities. But the government had dragged its feet for years. The demonstrators stayed for weeks, putting their health on the line for the cause. Finally, a trip to Washington, D.C. got them on the national news—and a signature on Section 504. The protests helped launch the modern disability rights movement. One of its greatest victories was the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. You can see the law's impact everywhere, from kneeling buses to sign language interpreters at press conferences. Press "play" to learn how a scrappy band of protestors took on the federal government, and won!
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Disability Rights:
- What is one new thing you learned about disability rights?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining disability rights.
- Draw or give one example of your own.