On March 13, 1990, more than 1,000 people marched from the White House to the United States Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. At the Capitol steps, many of them cast aside their wheelchairs and crawled to the top of the Capitol steps to demonstrate the lack of access to public buildings in America. Known as the “Capitol Crawl,” it was a significant event in disability rights history.
Four months later, on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, including in employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government services. But, celebrating is about more than the legal aspects. The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston in October of that same year. Now, we recognize July as Disability Pride Month, in which we honor the resilience, accomplishments, and contributions of people living with disabilities and seek to end the stigma of disability.
These books feature first-person experiences and/or medical viewpoints of disabilities and chronic illness. Find more titles here.
The Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found by Frank Bruni. In this inspiring memoir, the author talks about his partial loss of vision and the threat of total loss that loomed, and how he found a new way to count his blessings.
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong. A collection of first-person writing on the joys and challenges of the modern disability experience from activists, authors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and everyday people.
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith E. Heumann. One of the most influential disability rights activists in U.S. history tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and just be human.
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke. An exploration of one of the most consequential and mysterious issues of our time: the rise of chronic illness and autoimmune diseases. These diseases are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed. The author argues for a seismic shift in our approach to disease.
Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness by Roy Richard Grinker. Drawing on cutting-edge science, historical archives, and cross-cultural research in Africa and Asia, Nobody's Normal explains how we are transforming mental illness and offers a path to end the shadow of stigma.
Library tip of the month: We offer accessible keyboards for patron use in the library. There are two types of keyboards available: one with extra-large and high-contrast keys, as well as ergonomic keyboards. Please ask at the service desk if you'd like to use one. FVRLibraries has a variety of other free services to make our libraries and materials accessible to all. Find them here or call 360-906-5000.
Janet Alder is Marketing and Communications Coordinator with Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries, which has 15 locations in Clark, Skamania, Klickitat, and Cowlitz Counties. Call 360-906-5000 or visit the library district website for more information.
A version of this column first appeared in The Messenger, July 2023.
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