“DPN and the Civil Rights Movement”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement, which not only led to the selection of the first deaf president of a deaf university but also inspired a civil-rights movement within the Deaf community that was recognized around the world. DPN brought to light in a very public forum the kinds of oppression and discrimination that deaf and hard-of-hearing people have faced in employment and throughout society. On a much broader scale, this movement was a catalyst for equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal access for all people with disabilities and helped to inspire the eventual passage of the landmark legislation known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Gallaudet University's Board of Trustees acknowledges the powerful and historical significance of this event and joins you in celebrating this milestone.

Benjamin J. Soukup, GBOT Chair