The Impact of Black Disability Rights Activists and Advocates
February is Black History Month, a time to remember and celebrate the many achievements and contributions of black individuals in United States history. Black men and women throughout our history have dedicated their lives to advocating for and supporting the rights of black communities and individuals, including individuals who are living with disabilities. Direct Care Innovations celebrates Black History Month by highlighting four individuals who have actively fought for and supported the disability rights of black individuals.
Fannie Lou Hamer
Born in Mississippi in 1917, Fannie Lou Hamer was the daughter of sharecroppers and became disabled after she contracted polio as a child. She also experienced a brutal incident in a Mississippi jail, causing additional harm and injury. Her first advocacy experience occurred when she attended a civil rights meeting held by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. This meeting was the inspiration that led her to become a community organizer and advocate for the voting rights of black people. A few of her many achievements include co-founding the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1964 and the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971.
Donald Galloway
Donald Galloway was born in 1938 in Washington, D.C. Blinded by an accident when he was a teen, he became a disability rights advocate after earning his Master’s degree in social work. He was heavily involved at Berkeley’s Center for Independent Living and became a leader of the Washington branch. He is best known for filing and winning a lawsuit against the D.C. Superior Court after he was dismissed from jury duty because he was blind. In 1993, the groundbreaking lawsuit resulted in a ruling deeming the dismissal of a juror on the grounds of disability unconstitutional.
Wesley Hamilton
After becoming disabled due to a shooting that left him paralyzed from the waist down, Wesley Hamilton launched the non-profit organization “Disabled but Not Really.” During his long and arduous recovery, Hamilton chose to use his disability status to advocate for the rights of others. His goal was to ensure that individuals living with disabilities had access to valuable, inclusive fitness and training programs. In addition to creating an accessible fitness program for individuals living with disabilities who are wheelchair-bound, he is a strong supporter of black disability representation and ADA compliance.
Haben Girma
Haben Girma, born in 1988 in Oakland, CA, was the first deaf-blind woman to graduate from Harvard Law School. Her black disability rights journey began while in undergraduate school, where she fought for complete access to the cafeteria menu for individuals living with disabilities. Upon graduating from law school, she consulted for highly recognizable global companies, such as Microsoft, Apple, and GE, assisting them as they improved accessibility for employees and customers with disabilities. Girma’s mantra is to use “disability [as] an opportunity to drive innovation.” She believes in not only advocating for accessibility but also creating solutions that benefit the disabled and non-disabled communities.
DCI Celebrates Black History Month with You
Direct Care Innovations is proud to celebrate Black History Month and remember all that black individuals living with disabilities have accomplished. We support Medicaid agencies, private insurance, and managed care organizations with our business management software for home healthcare providers. Request a sales demo or contact us at (480) 295-3307 to learn more. We make the lives of the individuals you serve easier with our EVV solutions, training and compliance modules, custom automated workflows, and more.
Source: Dopson, Rasheera. “Black (Disability) History: Past, Present, & Future.” Web article. American Association of People with Disabilities. 28 Feb. 2022. Web. 03 Feb. 2024.