July 26, 2025 marks the 35th anniversary of an important and influential piece of civil rights legislation that has impacted all sectors of life — the Americans with Disabilities Act (also known as the ADA).
Background of the ADA
According to the last U.S. Census figures, about 54.5 million Americans have some type of disability—nearly 20% of the U.S. population. However, in the 1970’s, public buildings and transportation were not accessible to many disabled individuals. Before 1973, roughly one million children per year were left out of the school system and another three million children were not accommodated in the classroom. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 corrected this inequality to some degree, but it served as a stark reminder of the profound barriers people with disabilities faced. This brought more awareness to the public about the additional challenges people with disabilities faced in everyday life, and the need to create a more meaningful change.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a civil rights bill co-written in the mid-1980’s by a lawyer who had been affected by polio as a child. There was initially some concern that the legislation did not go far enough to provide protections for people with disabilities, and others were concerned about the cost burden shouldered by businesses. Congress itself was reluctant to include itself in the language which was a major issue in holding up the legislation. At one point, 8-year-old Jennifer Keelan, who had been born with Cerebral Palsy, demonstrated how difficult it was to access the capitol by crawling up the steps. This put a lot of public pressure on lawmakers to pass the bill, which was eventually signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, mobility impairments make up roughly half the population of people with disabilities, making transportation one of the top issues that needed to be addressed. This was a significant impediment for many disabled Americans to participate in many other life functions most of us take for granted. Whether because of aging or from birth, Americans with mobility challenges had significant obstacles in the way of transportation. This affects not only them, but also for the families who care for these individuals. Rising awareness of the problem contributed to a push to get legislation passed to provide a broad range of accommodations for disabled Americans.
Goals and Breakdown of the ADA
The ADA’s aim was to be as comprehensive as possible. The five sections or, “titles” of the legislation are as follows:
- Employment: Employers may not discriminate against people with disabilities. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay and social activities.
- Public Services for State and Local Government: All services, programs and activities of state and local governments must be accessible by people with disabilities. Some examples include access to government buildings, recreation, voting and social services.
- Public Accommodations and Services Run by Private Entities: Public transit must be accessible by people with disabilities.
- Telecommunications: Phone companies must provide services to callers with hearing and speech disabilities to communicate.
- Miscellaneous Provisions: Retaliation is not allowed against someone who has asserted their rights under the ADA; stating that a person with a disability is not required to accept an aid or accommodation if they do not want to; and directing certain federal agencies to issue guidance explaining the law.
The ADA opened up the world in a way that had never been accessible before, mandating accessible public transportation, building access, employment opportunities, and technology to broaden public access. Technology has improved since then in a way that had not been previously imagined when the bill was first signed, particularly with respect to telecommunications. What is particularly interesting is that listening devices have benefited both people with hearing difficulties and the able-bodied alike, with Bluetooth and other devices highly in demand by the general population. This technology has become more common and cheaper as a result. The ADA was later amended on September 25, 2008 after several Supreme Court rulings to broaden the definition of “disability”, and to acknowledge the disability status of people with AIDS/HIV.
The ADA has profoundly changed our country: from handicapped stalls to ramps to disabled parking places, the effects of this legislation are constantly apparent. Public awareness and public visibility of people with disabilities is becoming more commonplace. And with the increase in some conditions such as mental illness and autism, the population of people with disabilities continues to grow.
People with Disabilities
The ADA has not been a panacea for all the issues faced by people with disabilities in our country. But it has brought tangible benefits to many who have wanted to play a greater role in society, and therefore brought benefits to society as a whole. Another added benefit is that people with disabilities are becoming more visible, and in some cases becoming celebrities in their own right. While one of the first early nationally recognized disabled celebrities was Helen Keller for deafblindness, there are more and more celebrities who have spoken out about their disabilities: Temple Grandin and Greta Thunberg (autism); Irish authors Christy Brown (“My Left Foot”) and Chris Nolan (Cerebral Palsy); a number of congresspeople; and artists such as paraplegic cartoonist John Callahan. I do not attempt to provide an exhaustive list here, but am only highlighting a few individuals who have come out in the public eye not just because of their disability, but their talent to provide leadership, create meaningful works and contribute to society in a significant way. As a result, we all have benefited from their gifts and talents.
The ADA can have a positive impact for anyone, even if it doesn’t apply to them presently. An accident may render someone incapacitated; a child might be born with a birth defect; and as we age our bodies become more limited. Our life circumstances can change in a heartbeat, and not always for the better. As a result, any individual who may acquire a disability has legal protections now under the law as a part of the ADA. Even if the disability is only temporary, the ADA provides transportation, communication, job rights and other benefits for as long as that disability remains an impediment “to one or more basic life functions”.
Libraries and the ADA
Libraries have led the forefront of inclusion to materials for people with disabilities. The Library of Congress opened a reading room in Braille and other materials for the blind and visually impaired in 1897, and many libraries have been offering alternate materials for visually impaired patrons for over fifty years—long before the ADA. In 1961—nearly thirty years before the ADA was passed--the American Library Association (ALA) wrote the first set of standards to make sure that people with disabilities were included in public libraries, and this has been updated many times since then. This made libraries often the first government institution to ensure that people with disabilities had access to their services, recognizing the equal needs of people with disabilities to be included. In the digital age this continues to be a challenge, but libraries have always risen to the occasion and are dedicated to continue to do so.
Looking to the Future
The ADA is a step in the right direction to broaden the lives of people with disabilities. While the situation for the disabled is not the same as it was in 1971, many challenges still remain. Technology has helped in many ways and created new impediments for people with disabilities as well. We are a long way of being a truly inclusive society, and although it remains a challenging world, the ADA has made a positive difference in the lives of many.
Unfortunately, right now services benefiting people with disabilities are being challenged. Cuts to Medicare, on which many people with disabilities rely on for health care, is being considered. The abolition of the department of education threatens special education, gutting the 1975 legislation. Services to homebound adults are also being threatened with funding cuts. The loss of these funds and subsequently these services will compromise the quality of life for millions of Americans, who are one of the most vulnerable populations in this country. This funding makes an enormous impact in the lives of many, not just for the people with disabilities themselves, but to the families, caregivers and loved ones as well. The ADA may have become a reality for the lives of millions of Americans, but the struggle for equality is far from over.
Assistive Services at San Jose Public Library
The San José Public Library (SJPL) is committed to ensuring access of library services for all members of our community, including people with disabilities. Please visit our accessibility webpage to learn more about how we're working to make SJPL a more inclusive and disability-friendly place to be!
Questions?
For any questions about disability access, please contact accessibility@sjlibrary.org, opens a new window or 408-808-2355.
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