As historian Douglas Baynton noted in 2001, "Disability is everywhere in history, once you begin looking for it, but conspicuously absent in the histories we write.”
Historian Brandon Williams aims to rectify this omission by exploring how the unlikely cast of military veterans, Berkeley activists, injured miners, lawyers, artists, and scholars led the United States to become the first country to enact federal accessibility laws.
Professor Williams will also present on new historiography that demonstrates how the tireless efforts of disability advocates sparked private-sector innovations in accessibility and design, resulting in an “Accessible America” that led the world in expanding physical access.
This brief 30-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A, will conclude by highlighting contemporary advocates in Western Washington who continue to advance the cause of accessibility.
Place: Haselwood Library, 127
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 27 at 12pm
Questions? Contact Professor Williams at @email.
To request an accommodation, visit our Accessibility & Accommodations webpage. Please provide advance notice to ensure we are able to grant your request.