We believe that during not just Black History Month but EVERY month it’s incredibly important to honor the Black leaders and activists who battled racism and ableism to advocate for the rights we all have and continue to defend today. 

Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) is best known for her quote, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” She was a voter and women’s rights activist who served as Vice-Chair for the Freedom Democratic Party as well as Co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus which trained and supported women of all races who were interesting in running for positions in government officess. After contracting polio at a young age Hamer was left with long term disability that worsened after being beaten and assaulted by police for registering to vote.

Audre Lorde (1934-1992) was a lesbian poet and activist who dedicated her life and writing to addressing oppression and the intersections of injustice. As a professor, she advocated for the creation of a Black studies department and later co-founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press which became the first U.S. publisher for women of color. Lorde heavily shaped the Black, LGBTQ+, and Disability literature movements and openly wrote about her experience with cancer and chronic illness.

Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) was the first African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. She was a trailblazing lawyer, educator and congresswoman who remained an active member of the Democratic Party, working to transform the party through Black political participation and representation. Jordan faced a long battle with multiple sclerosis that later required her to use a wheelchair for support as she continued to fulfill important political roles.

Johnnie Lacy (1937-2010) was a Black disability and civil rights activist. She was diagnosed with polio at age 19 which led to paralysis and required the use of a wheelchair. She became a leading advocate for the independent living movement and founded the country’s first Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, California. Lacy continued to serve her community later in life by working on the California Attorney General’s Commission on Disability and the Mayor’s Disability Council.

Donald Galloway (1938-2011) was blinded at 13 after an accident, going on to become the first blind member of the peace corps in Jamaica as well as a member of the National Federation of the Blind. He received his masters in social work and began working at the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, CA. He later went on to lead the Colorado Governor’s Council on Disability and became the head of the D.C. branch of the Center for Independent Living. In 1993, after being denied the ability to sit on a jury due to lack of accommodations for blind individuals, Galloway went on to file and win a lawsuit securing legal rights for disabled jurors.

Joyce Ardell Jackson (1947-2013) contracted arthritis around the age of 13, undergoing over 50 surgeries as a result. Her time working at the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley greatly influenced her career, inspiring her to join the famous 504 Sit-In held in San Francisco. Jackson became one of the twenty activists sent to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Carter administration, convincing officials to implement Section 504. She would later serve three terms on the national board for the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities.

Brad Lomax (1950-1984) was an activist who helped to bridge the disability rights and racial justice movements. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his late teens, he soon after became a wheelchair user. Lomax aided in establishing the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Black Panther Party. He also played a crucial part in the organization of the 504 Sit-In, enlisting Black Panther Party members to help deliver crucial supplies that helped ensure the success of the protest.

Lois Curtis (1967-2022) was an artist who faced struggles with cognitive disabilities and schizophrenia. She was the lead plaintiff in the 1999 Olmstead Decision, which declared segregation of disabled people discriminatory. This case helped direct treatment for people with disabilities away from institutions and instead affirmed the right for disabled people to live and receive support within their community. Curtis also once met with Barack Obama at the White House and gave him one of her paintings.

While we celebrate the feats of these activists, our rights are still under attack. A lawsuit in the following 9 states threatens Section 504: Texas, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota. 

If you live in these states, we encourage you to visit dredf.org/protect-504 to contact your reps and find email or phone scripts to encourage them to drop out of lawsuits like Texas v. Becerra. And if your state isn’t on the list, call or email your state Attorney General and spread the word! Disabled people deserve equal access to education, healthcare, and life.