Disability Rights Movement ( U nited S tates)

Abstract

Abstract Most sources agree that the contemporary disability rights movement began sometime in the 1960s or perhaps the early 1970s (Percy 1989; Stroman 2003). Unlike the African‐American civil rights movement, the disability rights movement has not been characterized by concentrated periods of time where many large‐scale and/or violent protest events occurred (Barnartt & Scotch 2001). Instead, disability activism has tended to come in the form of service provision, lobbying, and other exercises of traditional and institutional political influence. While much disability activism is directed at improving funding and availability of services to the disabled community, it is important to understand that there is often a significant divide, and sometimes even real conflict, between the goals of the community of service providers and those of disability rights movement activists.