A review by lenoirleon
A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen

4.0

From the chapter on Native Americans and how they used sign language and worked to make sure that every member of a community could be included in work and social roles to discussions of pensions for Revolutionary and Civil War veterans to discussions of both IDEA and ADA and how they shape life for disabled people, this book covered loads of history I was not aware of. A section on Ellis island and reasons for refusing entrance made me think of the immigration issues we face today. The sections on Helen Keller were few and far between (I need to read the author’s books on her specifically, when I have time), but that made me realize two things:
1)She is one of many disabled people that lived in the United States
2) She was fortunate in the fact that her family had funds and she had advocates who, at first, helped her find her voice, and that she was allowed to share her views.