Ed Roberts – Father of the Disability Movement

January 20, 2023
The Disability Movement

When we think of the 1960’s and 70‘s we often recall the Civil Rights Movement. Another movement that began during that time, was that of Disability Rights. Inclusion, accessibility, and equality were not guaranteed to those with disabilities. As a teenager, Roberts contracted Polio. Though he survived the disease, this left him paralyzed and dependent on a respirator.

Upon returning to school, Roberts had to advocate for himself to be allowed to graduate, his high school wanted to withhold his diploma because he could not pass physical education classes or driver’s ed. Even with these barriers, Roberts continued on to graduate high school.

After high school, Roberts went on to be one of the first severely disabled people to graduate from the University of California at Berkeley. “At Berkley, Roberts led other disabled students to create the Physically Disabled Students Program, which was the first of its kind.

After graduating Roberts then went on to lead the Berkley Center for Independent Living, this project became a model for disability rights around the world”. 

John, T. (2017, January 23). Google Doodle Honors Pioneering Activist Ed Roberts. https://time.com/4643095/google-doodle-ed-roberts/

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