Accessing Disability History: Cathy Kudlick and Fran Osborne

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In 1977, over 100 people with disabilities and their allies occupied a federal building in San Francisco for almost a month. Part of the national 504 Sit-In, this remarkable protest sought to finally sign into law Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973), which would make it illegal for any federally funded facilities or programs to discriminate against individuals based on their disability. Not only was the protest successful, it paved the way for the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

In this final episode of Season Two (recorded on July 19, 2022), Dr. Wes Jackson speaks with Dr. Cathy Kudlick (Professor of History and Director Emeritus of the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability, San Francisco State University) and Fran Osborne (Freelance Designer/Museum Consultant and Lecturer in Museum Studies, San Francisco State University) on their public exhibit about the 504 Sit-in. First launched in 2015, “Patient No More: People with Disabilities Securing Civil Rights” not only captures this pivotal historical moment but exemplifies innovative public history practice by making accessibility and community involvement integral to its design.

Check out the amazing virtual exhibit for “Patient No More”: https://longmoreinstitute.sfsu.edu/patient-no-more.

Learn more about the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability: https://longmoreinstitute.sfsu.edu/.

Explore the Global Museum at San Francisco State University: https://museum.sfsu.edu/global-museum.

For more on Dr. Kudlick: https://longmoreinstitute.sfsu.edu/catherine-j-kudlick.

For more on Prof. Osborne: https://art.sfsu.edu/fran-osborne.

The Center for Public History at the University of Houston. https://uh.edu/class/cph