A book review
You may be interested in a book recently written by Richard Bryant Treanor called, We Overcame, the Story of Civil Rights for Disabled People, published by Regal Press, soft cover, 355 pages (1993); LOC No. 92-083770.
This book, almost five years in writing and publishing, gives a comprehensive history of civil rights for disabled people. The people, influences, causes and events that brought about spectacular success for disabled people, are all detailed.
The Americans With Disabilities Act didn't just drop out of the sky. The author traces the evolution of the disability civil rights movement in the United States. The story is told of President Franklin Roosevelt, his struggle with polio and the reaction of the world to it.
Before World War II, progress was slow, and outside of some enormously expensive and generally unsuccessful vocational rehabilitation programs, government attitude toward disabled people was one of welfare and maintenance. After World War II, returning veterans formed the group, Paralyzed Veterans of America, which achieved great success in civil rights litigation and advocacy.
The Disabled American Veterans became more organized and achieved benefits for disabled veterans of America's many wars.
President Nixon twice vetoed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Finally enacted, it wasn't until three years later, after a take-over of government buildings by the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, that section 504 of the regulations was issued by Secretary Joseph Califano.
The author interviewed many of the leaders of that remarkably successful, peaceful civil disobedience, including Frank Bowe, judy Heumann, Eunice Fiorito, Mary Jane Owen, Joseph Califano and others.
Section 504 brought revolutionary changes in colleges and universities throughout the country, and made campuses and programs accessible to disabled students. The
concepts in section 504 were enormously influential and became the core of many similar concepts in the Americans With Disabilities Act.
We Overcame also describes ADAPT, an organization of wheelchair users who have protested many times for accessible transportation and available home health care assistance; many of the members have been arrested dozens of times and even jailed.
The author, an attorney, lobbied for the Americans With Disabilities Act and describes how that act came about and what it provides. The author is also disabled and uses a wheelchair.
Although much of the story of progress in civil rights for disabled people involves legal matters and legal discussions, the author as a disabled person, knows first-hand the difficulties that disabled people encounter daily.
The book contains many anecdotes and vignettes of the experiences of disabled people. It is a successful blend of legal discussion and readable insights.
Very little has been written on the history of the disability civil rights movement, and this book should be of interest to historians, sociologists, health care professionals, educators, librarians and disabled people.
The Americans With Disabilities Act promises a great deal in the future with respect to accessible employment, transportation , education, public accommodations, and telecommunications.
The goal of disabled people has been to get away from isolation, discrimination and dependency and to achieve real independence through their abilities and through changes in societal attitudes. Success in the future will depend on the effectiveness of enforcement of that act. Perhaps it's time to take a breather and reflect on how it all came about.
The book can be purchased by mail from: We Overcame, c/o Richard B. Treanor, 613 4th Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024. Retail price $14.95 plus $2.05 S&H = $17.00 US.