Disability Pride Month and the Disability Rights Movement

Published on June 28, 2023 by PBS

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Every July we celebrate Disability Pride Month to commemorate the passage of this landmark civil rights law.

This selection of documentaries looks at the history of the disability rights movement as well as the activists within the movement. You'll also learn about artists and storytellers whose works explore the diversity of disability experiences.

The Gang of 19 - History of the ADA Movement

From Rocky Mountain PBS: Encouraged by civil rights movements of the 1960s, the Disability Rights Movement gained momentum leading to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Decades earlier in 1978, 19 individuals tossed aside their wheelchairs and blocked city buses deemed inaccessible for the physically disabled. Discover how this one act led to years of advocacy in Colorado and inspired the nation.

Wonderfully Made | PBS Short Film Fest

Kashmiere Culberson is a recent college graduate who embodies strength and confidence. Kash does not allow her disability to limit her pursuit of happiness and self-love.

Eat Your Catfish

Paralyzed by late-stage ALS and reliant on round-the-clock care, Kathryn clings to a mordant wit as she yearns to witness her daughter's wedding. Drawn from 930 hours of footage shot from her fixed point of view, Eat Your Catfish delivers a brutally frank and darkly humorous portrait of a family teetering on the brink, grappling with the daily demands of disability and in-home caregiving.

Creating an Inclusive Richard III

In a stunning July 2022 performance of Shakespeare's tragedy: Richard III, The Public Theater chose to stage a show that truly centered inclusivity and diversity. The result is a star-studded production that shines on stage and connects with all audiences.

In this behind-the-scenes interview, Danai Gurira, Ali Stroker and Monique Holt discuss how director Robert O'Hara prioritized diversity and inclusion in this staging of Richard III.

You can stream the performance, recorded live in Central Park, thanks to Great Performances until July 28, 2023.

Find PBS Documentaries and Programs with Audio Description

Did you know many of our programs offer audio descriptions? Narration that describes the visuals of a program help make our documentaries and shows accessible to people with low vision or other visual impairments. The audio description describes images on screen and visual details that might otherwise not be available. You can find many programs with audio descriptions by searching "audio description" on PBS.org.

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All Riders | POV

Visit public transportation from the perspective of disabled riders in this short film from Victor Dias Rodrigues. The subway makes New York City tick, but getting around is a constant battle for disabled New Yorkers.

Get to Know Disability Arts Ensemble Kinetic Light

Watch two different shows about California-based dance and arts ensemble, Kinetic Light. From If Cities Could Dance, get to know the choreographers and creative minds behind the group, as well as the Bay Area's place in disability rights movement history.

From WLIW PBS' Past, Present, Future, go into the studio with Kinetic Light as they rehearse and perform one of their works of art.

Disability Arts Ensemble Takes Access & Dance to New Heights

Experience the disability arts ensemble Kinetic Light as they rehearse their ambitious aerial work "Wired" at San Francisco’s Z Space, as well as take their movement to the universally accessible Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley, California, revisiting the Bay Area’s historic role in the disability rights movement. The group shares how access is a creative force in everything they create.

One + One Make Three

This experimental docu-dance film takes audiences into the studio with acclaimed ensemble Kinetic Light, exploring disability as a creative force. Access: ASL, captions. Director Katherine Helen Fisher/Safety Third Productions.

The Beautiful Colors of Jeremy Sicile-Kira | POV

Jeremy Sicile-Kira uses painting to transcend his disability and communicate his dreams to others.

Stories of Artists and Disability Advocates From American Masters

Renegades: Kitty O’Neill

Musician and disability inclusion advocate Lachi explores the cultural contributions of people with disabilities and how they transformed America. This episode investigates the amazing life and accomplishments of deaf stunt legend and speed racer Kitty O'Neil.

Elsa Sjunneson

Elsa Sjunneson is a DeafBlind professor and media critic, skilled fencer and hiker, and published author who has written for Marvel Comics. This version contains extended audio description.

Sonora Webster Carver: She was a Daredevil Performer & Advocate for the Blind

After answering an ad seeking a "young woman who can swim and dive; likes horses; desires to travel," Sonora Webster Carver became one of the most famous horse divers in the world. She continued diving for 11 years after being blinded in 1931 as a result of one of her performances, and later in life engaged in activism for the visually impaired.

Sensorium | The First Twenty

Visionary composer Paola Prestini explores the intersections of disability, artificial intelligence and voice in an experimental multi-sensory opera with choreographer Jerron Herman and poet Brenda Shaughnessy. This version of the video includes ASL and captions.