March-April National Deaf History Month
Contributor: I.D.E.A Culture & Climate Subcommittee
Subject line: March-April is National Deaf History Month.
As an organization that serves a diverse population we continue to grow our diverse knowledge and celebrate our differences. March is National Deaf History Month. National Deaf History Month is a perfect time to learn and discover more about our Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing friends and neighbors, and to bring awareness to their lived experiences.
A Few Interesting Facts: Did you know that ….
2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears
Deafness is the third most common disability in the world
Some people are profoundly deaf and can hear nothing while others may only have partial hearing loss or hearing loss in only one ear
There is no universal sign language. Different countries use different sign languages! In the United States, we use American Sign Language (ASL).
On April 15, 1817, America’s first public school for the deaf was opened
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) first introduced National Deaf History Month in 1996 and, in 2006, the American Library Association partnered with NAD in supporting and spreading awareness of this celebration
To learn more information about Deaf History month & 5 deaf role models whose stories illustrate the power of activism, education, and perseverance despite disability. , click THIS LINK. and this handy resource: Deaf Community Tip Sheet
National Deaf History Month and the Deaf Community
National Deaf History Month is recognized every year from March 13th to April 15th in celebration of the accomplishments of people who are Deaf and hard of hearing. The beginning and ending dates of the month were chosen to commemorate the first public school for the Deaf opening (April 15, 1817) and the nomination of the first Deaf President of Gallaudet University - the world’s first institution dedicated to the advanced education for the Deaf and hard of hearing on March 13th 1988 (the university opened on April 8th, 1864). Deaf History Month started in 1996.
Deafness is a spectrum and many in the Deaf community are proud to be Deaf. The Deaf community has its own culture, one that values information sharing, eye contact, and physical connections. ASL, or American Sign Language, is a separate language from English with it’s own structure, grammar, and speech rules. It is not just a way to interpret spoken English. Most countries have their own sign language. Many advocate for sign language to be a child’s first language.
Some Ways to Accommodate Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals
Captions and Speech to Text Features
Providing captions for your audio media, from video lessons to tiktok videos makes it more accessible to everyone. In fact, most of YouTube’s captions are used by hearing individuals.
Visual Aides
There are many ways to provide visual aides. Providing a poster, powerpoint slide, or print out are just a few examples. When speaking to a group in public, ensuring you are facing your audience is another.
Sign Language Interpreters
Many public events have begun including sign language interpreters, including concerts. Amber Galloway Gallego has done some great work advocating for interpreters at music events to interpret sounds in new ways.
Highlighting a few deaf people in history
Haben Girma is the first Deaf-blind graduate of Harvard Law. She was inspired to become a disability rights advocate after trying to get accommodations in her undergrad cafeteria. She is now a lawyer based in California.
Linda Bove is best known for her role as Linda the Librarian on Sesame Street, bringing American Sign Language to American children. She also founded the DeafWest Theater in Los Angeles and has been involved in the Non-Traditional Casting Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in theater.
Chella Man is an actor, artist, producer, Youtuber, and activist. He played a superhero named Jericho on Titans, based on DC’s superheroes and most of his independent work is focused on his experiences as a transgender, deaf, genderqueer, and Jewish person of color.
Vint Cerf is known as “The Father of the Internet.” He has won the U.S. National Medal of Technology, the ACM Alan M. Turing award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush.
A few resources for promoting deaf awareness
FREE learning activities to promote deaf awareness in school
Resources for promoting Deaf Awareness
Challenges that still exist for the deaf
Videos:
How sign language can bring music to life (13:17)
Deaf advocate Glenna Cooper shares her personal journey (16:22)
Sources:
https://www.startasl.com/linda-bove/
https://internethalloffame.org/inductees/vint-cerf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chella_Man
https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaKellgrenFozard
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