Episode 46: The History of Disability, Lessons from the Past

Date: Wednesday, July 5, 2017 - 1:00 pm EDT

Speakers: Larry Logue, Ph.D., senior fellow at BBI and former professor of history at Mississippi College and William Myhill, Director of Legal Research and Writing at Burton Blatt Institute

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Looking at the history of disability allows us to see the big picture and details of what has happened and to examine what society is capable of. The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has often been called a turning point in the history of people with disabilities. In this episode we will look at other turning points in the history of disability in America, including an examination of veterans of wars. Veterans are supposed to be outside the usual understanding of disability, but nonetheless, they have experienced distinctive psychological disorders and considerable racial/ethnic discrimination. What can veterans, and how they were perceived and treated over the years, teach us about disability today? Join Larry Logue, senior fellow at BBI and former professor of history at Mississippi College; and William Myhill, Director of Legal Research and Writing at Burton Blatt Institute as they discuss how the treatment of veterans has changed since wounded veterans of the Civil War camped in front of Lincoln's White Hous?e.