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Americans with Disabilities Act 20th Anniversary

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Our guest author today is Ellen Terrell, Business Reference Specialist.

Image accessed from UAW Local 2244 website on July 22, 2010

According to the U.S. Census in their report Americans with Disabilities: 2005, there are roughly 54 million Americans with a disability. 11 million people age 6 and older need personal assistance with everyday activities and 46% of the people ages 21 to 64 having some type of disability who were employed.* So today is a milestone.

On this date in 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law No: 101-336 (42 U.S. Code Chapter 126) was signed into law (view video of the signing ceremony) by George H.W. Bush. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.

Want to know more? The Library of Congress has many items in its collection on People with disabilities and Discrimination against people with disabilities for those wanting to do research.  You can also visit the page maintained by the Justice Department or go to Disability.gov and read their blog postings on 100 Days to the ADA which is a countdown to the 20th anniversary.


* Archived version (accessed April 18, 2023): https://web.archive.org/web/20110613111431/https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff13.html

Note: Some changes have been made since this post was originally published. Disability.gov has now ceased as its own site and has instead been incorporated into the Department of Labor’s web site. Additionally, blog posts from their original blog tagged with “100 Days to the ADA” that were issued through govdelivery cannot currently be found.

Comments (6)

  1. I think our country has cultured itself into a county of disabled people for various reasons, not always so good, because there were some that needed some help and assistance over time and no one really had the answers or the time or the resources or the right knowledge, and it corrupted our country and exploited our people, now we have big lobbiest that tell what things are and drug companies that openly and brazenly use any of the media they can to exploit the public with and the public doesn’t get it, they believe they must be being nice to share with them. They are profitting off of and not helping to fix any of the real issues, needs, or problems, those are things they do not care about as long as they make the profit, if profit is all this country is about then it is a hell of a place to live and a ready time for the antichrist to come. Think about it, greed and abuse and exploitation from those that are suppose to be fixing things just so that they can push legalized drugs, LOL So you think I am crazy I actually think it is our whole society that has gone crazy.

  2. I gave 30 day notice to Landlord no deposit sent back.Same Landlord denied me bars in my bathtub when i moved in. Repeated blockage to only exit to parking lot to leave Apartment blocked constantly. I called Police in Belton to comply.Didn’t give ticket to maintanence parked in Disability parking nearest to apt.
    I had no access to managers office nor Laundey all year.
    I am a US Navy Veteran w/Purple Heart with Electric Wheelchair provided by VA Hospital.

  3. Carol – I am not sure what city/county you are in so I can’t give you any specific government agency but there is like one that oversee landlord/tenant issues or possibly one that helps veterans specifically. If you are still mobile – try going to a local public library. They will know your area and might be in a position to understand locally who to go to for help.

    You may want to seek out the VFW – they do have the ability to provide some assistance and maybe someone local can help you with a city or county government agency that can help based on their local experiences.
    https://www.vfw.org/assistance

    It also looks like the Red Cross has a mission to help veterans.
    https://www.redcross.org/get-help/military-families/services-for-veterans.html

  4. My situation of being an epileptic with multiple seizures a month started at age 2 but over the last several years I have found a few ways to handle it. It led to true problems at one point in my life but when I made the determination to start giving things up in my life it truly helped. I first gave up alcohol and tobacco, next all Fast food, and next all soda. In addition I started a practice of being grateful for the life I have had and started once a day practicing my mind to help me benefit what I am week in which is spelling words which involves the left side of the brain while still doing math which involves the right side of the brain so that I can be stronger. My seizures have moved to being only while I am asleep now and I am very thankful. I still don’t drive and I still take medicine but I can be thankful for a better life.

  5. There’s a benefit to being a person with a epilepsy disability. Our world is constantly looking for new more cleaner sources of fuel. As a person who can’t drive we always have to find alternative means of transportation. This means that we are one step ahead in the energy game for transportation because we never ride alone.

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