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THIS DAY IN DISABILITY HISTORYDecember - JanuaryDecember 1st, 1988 - World AIDS Day is first observed. The day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of the HIV infection. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people, and an estimated 38.6 million people live with HIV, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to anti-retroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 3.1 million lives in 2005, of which more than half a million (570,000) were children. Every December 1st, memorials are held worldwide for those who have died of AIDS. December 3rd, 1982 - The United Nations declares the first International Day of Disabled Persons. The day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities into every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme for 2007 is “Decent Work Opportunities for People with Disabilities.” December 7th, 1941 - Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is attacked by Japanese fighter planes, setting the stage for the United States’ entrance into World War II. The next day, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war on Japan and Germany. Roosevelt would be seen as an extremely effective military leader while maintaining a facade of health. In reality, he was unable to walk without assistance as the polio he contracted earlier in life left him paralyzed from the waist down. He died on April 12th, 1945, as a result of a cerebral hemorrhage. December 13th, 2000 - Al Gore concedes the 2000 presidential election. Following a 5-4 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Gore was not entitled to recounts in the state of Florida, where it was alleged there were widespread voter irregularities, uncounted absentee ballots and non-uniform standards for counting ballots from county to county. The ruling let stand the certification of the electoral votes from Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris to George W. Bush, ensuring the latter’s election. During his campaign, Gore had forged connections with the disability rights community. He spoke at the NCIL national conference in July; included Fred Fay and Becky Ogle in his campaign; and heard a speech before the Democratic National Convention on the night of his nomination by Kyle Glozier, a non-verbal teenage disability rights activist diagnosed with cerebral palsy. December 18th, 1947 - Judy Heumann is born. Heumann, who contracted polio at the age of 18 months, has spent most of her life in a wheelchair. In 1970, she co-founded Disabled in Action in New York City. In 1977, she was one of the leaders of the Health and Human Services sit-in, the longest occupation of a federal building in U.S. history, to spur action on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a precursor to the ADA. She co-founded the World Institute on Disability in 1983 with Ed Roberts and Joan Leon, serving as co-director until 1993. She also served in the Clinton Administration as assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the U.S. Department of Education from 1993 to 2001 and currently is the World Bank Group’s advisor on disability and development, leading the World Bank’s work on disability and integration of the disabled into its programs and projects. January 8th, 1997 - Not Dead Yet activists protest in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. An estimated 500 to 1,000 members and supporters of Not Dead Yet turned out to show opposition to any form of legalized assisted suicide. The court had agreed to hear two cases, Washington v. Glucksberg, based in Washington state, and Vasco vs. Quill, a case from New York. At the protest, activists from the Hemlock Society, an assisted-suicide advocacy organization, were outnumbered 10 to 1. The protest would attract international media coverage and would be the largest rally to date for Not Dead Yet. January 11th, 2001 - The statue of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair is dedicated in Washington, D.C. The push to have FDR portrayed in a wheelchair was led by Jim Dickson, who worked tirelessly to convince lawmakers to create the memorial. The statue came about because of relentless advocacy by the National Organization on Disability, which raised $1.65 million for its funding. The life-size bronze statue is the work of sculptor Robert Graham of Venice, Calif. The inspirational depiction is of President Roosevelt sitting in a wheelchair that he designed and used daily for more than two decades, including while governor of New York and president from 1933 until his death in 1945. — Compiled from various sources by Michael Reynolds Mike Reynolds is a writer, activist and filmmaker diagnosed with CP at birth. He graduated from UMaine, He lives in central Maine. You know of an important date in disability history? |
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