“The Christian Register” runs an uplifting story about deaf, dumb, and blind girl anmed Julia Brace who lived at the Hartford Asylum.
1849
Blind Tom plays his first public performance 1849
Blind Tom (1849-1908) plays his first public performance and became a media sensation even gaining high praise from Mark Twain. Blind Tom would today be labeled an "autistic savent"
1866
Harper's New Monthly Magazine prints an article on Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asulum. 1866
1866 - Harper's New Monthly Magazine prints an article on Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asulum. Blackwell's Island, in New York City's East River, is now called Roosevelt Island. The Lunatic Asylum, designed by noted architect Alexander Jaskson Davis, opened in 1839 and featured an octagon tower.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine 1866
1866 - Harper's New Monthly Magazine prints an article on Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asylum. Blackwell's Island, in New York City's East River, is now called Roosevelt Island. The Lunatic Asylum, designed by noted architect Alexander Jackson Davis, opened in 1839 and featured and octagon tower.
1868
The Prisoner's Hidden Life 1868
1868 - "The Prisoner's Hidden Life" or "Insane Asylums Unveiled," was an expose on the insane asylum system written by Mrs. E. P. W. Packard. Mrs. Packard was wrongly placed in an asylum by her husband and then went on to write of the experience.
1932
Freaks 1932
1932 - Tod Browning releases the film "Freaks" with a cast of disabled performers. The movie opened to criticism for its depiction of the disabled and the general public's perception of the disabled.
1934
Tomorrow's Children 1934
1934 - The film "Tomorrow's Children" is released. The movie had a eugenic plot that centered on a family of degenerates, cripples, and mentally disabled individuals that are offered welfare-for-life if they agree to sterilization.
1938
The March of Dimes 1938
1938 - The March of Dimes is created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to help fight polio. The organization started by using a radio campaign to raise funds and over the years has used the media for public awareness and fundraising.
1939
Wizard of Oz 1939
1939 - The "Wizard of Oz" opens in theaters with a large cast of "munchkins."
1940
Little Moron 1940
1940s (1943) - "Little Moron" books become popular with their "jokes" at the expense of the Little Moron and his low IQ.
Moron Gulch 1940
1940s - "Moron Gulch" cartoon depicting "backwoods-men" of several mental capacities.
1946
Bedlam 1946 1946
1946 - Bedlam 1946 a photo essay from Life magazine that exposes the abuses at American mental hospitals written by Albert Q. Maisel
1958
\"Cavalcade of Stars" celebrity fundraiser for the Shield of David 1958
1958 - "Cavalcade of Stars" celebrity fundraiser for the Shield of David, Institute for Retarded Children. Celebrities included Dick Clark, Tony Randall, and others.
1960
Kingston Trio album for March of Dimes public awareness 1960
1960 - Kingston Trio album for March of Dimes public awareness. Popular musicians were also part of the effort to promote the March of Dimes.
Johnny Carson at the Celebrity Parade for Cerebral Palsy 1960
1960s - Johnny Carson at the Celebrity Parade for Cerebral Palsy. As television became more available to the public its celebrities also joined in disability awareness events.
1965
Mental Retardation Campaign 1965
1965-66 - "Mental Retardation Campaign" public service announcements from the President's Committee on Mental Retardation with personal appeals from Lyndon B. Johnson, Dr. Spock and Roy Rogers among others. These announcements were played on the radio.
Senator Robert F. Kennedy visits Willowbrook State School 1965
1965 - Senator Robert F. Kennedy visits Willowbrook State School and labeled the deplorable conditions a "snake pit." His visit lead to several published articles on the problems at the school in the Staten Island Advance. Seven years later Geraldo Rivera televised the dilapidated school.
Mental Retardation Campaign 1965
1965-66 - "Mental Retardation Campaign" public service announcements from the President's Committee on Mental Retardation with personal appeals from Lyndon B. Johnson, Dr. Spock and Roy Rogers among others. These announcements were played on the radio.
1966
The first Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy is aired on TV 1966
The first Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy is aired on television. The telethon has helped to raise over $2 billion dollars and is still televised every Labor Day weekend.
1968
Henry Fonda in a United Cerebral Palsy awareness and fund raising advertisement 1968
1968 - Henry Fonda in a United Cerebral Palsy awareness and fund raising advertisement with the poster child Kenny Cunningham.
1970
Beetle Bailey comic book 1970
1970 - Beetle Bailey comic book, a complimentary copy to promote awareness for the Cerebral Palsy Association.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped 1970
1970 - The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped begins to publish a braille version of Playboy magazine.
1971
Barbara Streisand as the National Association 1971
1971 - Barbara Streisand as the National Association for Retarded Children National Chairman.
1972
Geraldo Rivera does an expose on the Willowbrook State School that leads to an immediate federal inquiry 1972
1972 - Geraldo Rivera does an expose on the Willowbrook State School that leads to an immediate federal inquiry. The deplorable conditions of this facility for the mentally retarded were televised and Willowbrook became national news.
\"The National Tattler" newspaper with a cover story titled "Testers Inject Retarded Children has Hepatitis" 1972
1972 - "The National Tattler" newspaper with a cover story titled "Testers Inject Retarded Children has Hepatitis," about an experimental program at the Willowbrook State School in New York.
Sonny and Cher at the height of their fame are named Cerebral Palsy National Celebrity Chairmen 1972
1972 - Sonny and Cher at the height of their fame are named Cerebral Palsy National Celebrity Chairmen. Further promoting fundraising and public awareness through the vehicle of celebrity.
1980
John Ritter in a fund raising advertisement for the Cerebral Palsy telethon in association with Miller Beer 1980
1980 - John Ritter in a fund raising advertisement for the Cerebral Palsy telethon in association with Miller Beer. Ritter, whose brother had cerebral palsy, was the telethon chairman for many years.
1981
Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy 1981
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy 1981
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy 1981
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy 1981
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
1982
\"The disABILITY Rag" magazine for and by the disabled community was first published in 1980 1982
1982 - "The disABILITY Rag" magazine for and by the disabled community was first published in 1980. This magazine is now available on the world wide web and is now known as the Ragged Edge.
1988
Rain Man 1988
1988 - "Rain Man" starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise about the relationship of an autistic savant and his brother.
\"Kids Like These" movie 1988
1988 - "Kids Like These" movie is made for television starring Tyne Daly.
1990
Mouth magazine publishes its first issue 1990
1990 - Mouth magazine publishes its first issue. The bi-monthly magazine considers itself the voice of the disability nation.
Blind Tom (1849-1908) plays his first public performance and became a media sensation even gaining high praise from Mark Twain. Blind Tom would today be labeled an "autistic savent"
1866 - Harper's New Monthly Magazine prints an article on Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asulum. Blackwell's Island, in New York City's East River, is now called Roosevelt Island. The Lunatic Asylum, designed by noted architect Alexander Jaskson Davis, opened in 1839 and featured an octagon tower.
1866 - Harper's New Monthly Magazine prints an article on Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asylum. Blackwell's Island, in New York City's East River, is now called Roosevelt Island. The Lunatic Asylum, designed by noted architect Alexander Jackson Davis, opened in 1839 and featured and octagon tower.
1868 - "The Prisoner's Hidden Life" or "Insane Asylums Unveiled," was an expose on the insane asylum system written by Mrs. E. P. W. Packard. Mrs. Packard was wrongly placed in an asylum by her husband and then went on to write of the experience.
1932 - Tod Browning releases the film "Freaks" with a cast of disabled performers. The movie opened to criticism for its depiction of the disabled and the general public's perception of the disabled.
1934 - The film "Tomorrow's Children" is released. The movie had a eugenic plot that centered on a family of degenerates, cripples, and mentally disabled individuals that are offered welfare-for-life if they agree to sterilization.
1939 - The "Wizard of Oz" opens in theaters with a large cast of "munchkins."
1940s (1943) - "Little Moron" books become popular with their "jokes" at the expense of the Little Moron and his low IQ.
1940s - "Moron Gulch" cartoon depicting "backwoods-men" of several mental capacities.
1958 - "Cavalcade of Stars" celebrity fundraiser for the Shield of David, Institute for Retarded Children. Celebrities included Dick Clark, Tony Randall, and others.
1960 - Kingston Trio album for March of Dimes public awareness. Popular musicians were also part of the effort to promote the March of Dimes.
1960s - Johnny Carson at the Celebrity Parade for Cerebral Palsy. As television became more available to the public its celebrities also joined in disability awareness events.
1965-66 - "Mental Retardation Campaign" public service announcements from the President's Committee on Mental Retardation with personal appeals from Lyndon B. Johnson, Dr. Spock and Roy Rogers among others. These announcements were played on the radio.
1965 - Senator Robert F. Kennedy visits Willowbrook State School and labeled the deplorable conditions a "snake pit." His visit lead to several published articles on the problems at the school in the Staten Island Advance. Seven years later Geraldo Rivera televised the dilapidated school.
1965-66 - "Mental Retardation Campaign" public service announcements from the President's Committee on Mental Retardation with personal appeals from Lyndon B. Johnson, Dr. Spock and Roy Rogers among others. These announcements were played on the radio.
The first Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy is aired on television. The telethon has helped to raise over $2 billion dollars and is still televised every Labor Day weekend.
1968 - Henry Fonda in a United Cerebral Palsy awareness and fund raising advertisement with the poster child Kenny Cunningham.
1970 - Beetle Bailey comic book, a complimentary copy to promote awareness for the Cerebral Palsy Association.
1970 - The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped begins to publish a braille version of Playboy magazine.
1971 - Barbara Streisand as the National Association for Retarded Children National Chairman.
1972 - Geraldo Rivera does an expose on the Willowbrook State School that leads to an immediate federal inquiry. The deplorable conditions of this facility for the mentally retarded were televised and Willowbrook became national news.
1972 - "The National Tattler" newspaper with a cover story titled "Testers Inject Retarded Children has Hepatitis," about an experimental program at the Willowbrook State School in New York.
1972 - Sonny and Cher at the height of their fame are named Cerebral Palsy National Celebrity Chairmen. Further promoting fundraising and public awareness through the vehicle of celebrity.
1980 - John Ritter in a fund raising advertisement for the Cerebral Palsy telethon in association with Miller Beer. Ritter, whose brother had cerebral palsy, was the telethon chairman for many years.
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
1981 - Weekend with the Stars Telethon for Cerebral Palsy, including John Ritter, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra.
1982 - "The disABILITY Rag" magazine for and by the disabled community was first published in 1980. This magazine is now available on the world wide web and is now known as the Ragged Edge.
1988 - "Rain Man" starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise about the relationship of an autistic savant and his brother.
1988 - "Kids Like These" movie is made for television starring Tyne Daly.
1990 - Mouth magazine publishes its first issue. The bi-monthly magazine considers itself the voice of the disability nation.