Three decades pass since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed, insights gleaned from this odyssey revealed
Thirty-Five Years Ago: The Americans with Disabilities Act Revolutionizes Rights for People with Disabilities
Thirty-five years ago, the world witnessed a significant milestone in the fight for equality: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. This comprehensive civil rights legislation, the first of its kind, aimed to guarantee equal opportunity for people with disabilities in various aspects of life, including public accommodations, employment, transportation, and more.
Before the ADA, people with disabilities faced widespread discrimination, exclusion, and inaccessibility in almost all areas of life. Without legal protections or avenues for recourse, they were routinely denied jobs, promotions, access to healthcare, public services, education, and even basic accommodations in public spaces. Public infrastructure and buildings were mostly inaccessible, and people with disabilities often encountered overt hostility and explicit ableism.
Early disability rights efforts included protests like the 504 Sit-In (1977) and the Capitol Crawl (1990), visual demonstrations aimed at highlighting the everyday inaccessibility and inequality faced by disabled people. For instance, the Capitol Crawl, one of the most famous demonstrations, saw 60 disability rights activists climb the U.S. Capitol steps, abandoning their wheelchairs and mobility aids.
The passage of the ADA built on prior limited laws like the Architectural Barriers Act (1968) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973), but before 1990, these efforts did not guarantee comprehensive protections or effective enforcement.
Senator Bob Dole, a longtime Republican senator from Kansas, played a significant role in the passage of the ADA. Dole, who lost the use of his right arm in World War II, was known for his ability to work across the aisle with Democrats and for framing the ADA as good for the economy overall when addressing concerns about costs. Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, called Dole the linchpin to the Republicans in the passage of the ADA.
The Capitol Crawl was a turning point in the passage of the ADA, as it greatly influenced lawmakers such as Dole's legislative aide, Mo West. The demonstration was described by Kansas City writer and wheelchair user, Rebekah Taussig, as iconic.
Thirty years on, the ADA is considered an example of government working, as it made a big difference in a lot of people's lives for the better. The ADA dramatically altered the physical world, with the law being ingrained in how America builds buildings and does business, such as the use of curb cuts that benefit everyone.
Progress isn't always easy to see, but it is important to look into the past to learn from it and make progress. As Mackenzie Martin, one of the hosts of KCUR's podcast "A People's History Of Kansas City," said, "Progress isn't always linear and takes decades to compromise and make change, but it is always worth doing that work." Gina McDonald, a Kansas organizer, stated that it is often times like this when people are the most ready to organize.
The ADA was a landmark achievement in the fight for civil rights, marking a significant step towards a more inclusive and equal society for people with disabilities. As we commemorate its 35th anniversary, it serves as a reminder of the importance of continued advocacy and the power of collective action.
