In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the passing of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the “Gaining Access: The New York City Disability Rights Movement” exhibition looks at the growth of the Disabilities Rights Movement in New York City.

Gaining Access” is curated by historian Warren Shaw, and presented in partnership between the Brooklyn Historical Society and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.  It will run through October 23, 2015 at the Brooklyn Historical Society.

The Brooklyn Historical Society is located at 128 Pierrepont Street (at the intersection with Clinton Street) in Brooklyn Heights.  It is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from noon to 5 pm.  Suggested admission is $10; admission is free on Fridays to people with disabilities

Chronicling stories of civil disobedience and self-advocacy, “Gaining Access” charts the history of the modern movement which arose in the early 1960s and illustrates the rise of disability as a demographic and social issue. Accessible transit, building access, curb cuts in sidewalks, and deinstitutionalization of individuals with mental and cognitive disabilities are some of the battlegrounds and hard-won victories described. These are stories of advocates who recognized that they needed to remake the world, so that they might fully participate in it. Their accomplishments included the first legal protections against discrimination, and the creation of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

The exhibit features dozens of historic images, rare video footage, and one-of-a-kind original artifacts from the half century history of the movement. “Gaining Access” is the first museum exhibition about the Disability Rights Movement in New York City, recounting a history reminiscent of the civil rights struggles waged by other groups of Americans.

The exhibit is curated by historian Warren Shaw, and presented in partnership with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.