On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. This monumental moment 30 years ago represented another step forward in recognizing that disability rights are indeed civil rights. At AAA, we recognize the importance of the ADA and the way in which this law established the foundation for US society to remove accessibility barriers and integrate disabled people into everyday life, whether in employment, public services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and otherwise (the five titles of the ADA). However, while the ADA has established regulations for compliance as related to eliminating access barriers, providing accommodations, and diminishing the discrimination faced by disabled people, many access barriers remain and people with disabilities still struggle to be fully included in all aspects of society and life as meaningful participants. As anthropologists, we are experts who study all aspects of the human condition, whether in contemporary or historic times, and we must remember that disability and disabled people are not just part of that human condition but in fact a vital and celebrated part of our world. For the 30th anniversary of the ADA, we celebrate the grassroots effort of multiple disability and accessibility communities who fought and continue to fight for the recognition of these rights as well as for a fully accessible and just world.
