We Americans owe a profound debt of gratitude to activist Judy Heumann. The chutzpah she has demonstrated through decades of direct action has solidified fundamental civil rights for people with disabilities. An early fight that Ms. Heumann won was to be certified as a teacher in New York City schools—she had completed all of the degree requirements and passed certification exams. The Board of Education’s Board of Examiners had determined that she had failed the physical examination because of “extreme paralysis in both lower extremities.”
Ms. Heumann persevered in her fight to change policies and laws. Two years after winning her teacher’s license, Heumann and other activists steered their wheelchairs in the center of Manhattan’s Madison Avenue during rush hour as a demonstration against lack of federal protection. In the ensuing years, activists protested exclusionary policies and laws, including when about 100 people held a sit-in at a San Francisco federal building for 23 days during April of 1977. Thirteen years later, following steady pressure by disability activists and resulting public awareness, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990.
Heumann has continued her activism, serving in U.S. government roles in the Clinton and Obama administrations. She has also served as the World Bank's first Adviser on Disability and Development as a Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation.
Heumann’s recent autobiography, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, is available from the library. Rolling Warrior: The Incredible, Sometimes Awkward, True Story of a Rebel Girl on Wheels Who Helped, is a book written for young adults. We’ve also included here other memoirs from disability rights activists within our collection.
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