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Period: to
1960s
This decade began with the deinstitutionalization movement. People with disabilities increased their demands for social participation while rejecting the medical model of disability in favor of a social model of disability. The federal government passed the first disability rights legislation, the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968. The Act prompted advocates across the country to organize and work towards accessibility and disability rights at the local level. -
Period: to
1970s
The 1970s was a decade of great political and social strides for the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement. The decade saw the establishment and rapid expansion of independent living centers. Americans with disabilities organized cross-disability campaigns to persuade politicians and the public to accept the concept of independent living. And to realize many of the limitations associated with disability are actually socially imposed limitations which stunt one’s potential. -
Period: to
1980s
A decade of contrasts for the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement, the gains of the 1970s were threatened as the Reagan administration implemented funding cutbacks and reversed back civil rights laws. Conversely, Clevelanders and other local advocates across the country were gaining momentum at the local level. Advocates demanded that their voices be heard and continued to work toward inclusion in both the political planning process and in society as a whole.