Beginning in the late 1980s, two prominent activists, Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and Justin Dart Jr., emerged as leading voices for disability rights in the United States. Despite limited government attention, their advocacy was crucial to the July 26, 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The fight was clear: people with disabilities were full members of society, deserved equal rights and opportunities, and the government had a responsibility to ensure these rights.

Disability rights protesters in streets of San Francisco protesting for the passage of the ADA. Reinking, Jeff. 1987.  Photograph. San Francisco. https://jkclegacy.com.