USA (MNN) — A new documentary spotlights a pivotal moment in US Deaf history.
“Deaf President Now!” recounts a week of protests held in 1988 at Gallaudet University, the world’s only four-year liberal arts school designed for Deaf students.
“When the board was voting to elect a new president, there were three candidates: two Deaf people and one hearing person. The hearing person had no background in the Deaf community and no knowledge of sign language at all,” DOOR International’s Rob Myers says.
“The board ultimately picked the hearing person for the position, and this caused a huge stir.”
(Artwork courtesy of Deaf President Now!)
Although well-suited for the presidential position, “The Deaf candidates were passed over. When the board chair was asked [why], she said, ‘Gallaudet isn’t ready for a Deaf president yet,’” Myers explains.
“Deaf people from all over the US were protesting. They said, ‘No, now is the time for us to lead our own community. We have well-qualified people.”
The movement carried beyond Gallaudet’s campus and helped to develop the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “Ultimately, the person who had been voted to become president resigned, and one of the other candidates was elected,” Myers says.
Watch the film here on Apple TV+.
“It is primarily in American Sign Language, but anyone can watch it. It is both captioned and there’s voice interpreting,” Myers says.
Deaf-led Gospel work
The 80s were a critical time for the Deaf community. “The history of DOOR’s founding mirrors a lot of this,” Myers says.
“In the 1980s, if you were a Deaf person, you could be skilled in teaching, a great pastor or evangelist, and there was no place to exercise those skills.”
A handful of Deaf Christians took action. “They said, ‘There needs to be a place for Deaf people to exercise the God-given gifts to teach, lead, and expand His kingdom.’ So, they founded DOOR International, led by the Deaf, for the Deaf,” Myers says.
“The woman who helped found DOOR watched as her father was turned down by over 50 different [missions] organizations simply because he was Deaf,” Myers continues.
“He had the skills and leadership qualities, but they simply said, ‘We can’t send a Deaf person into the field.’”
Learn why the Deaf remain one of the world’s largest unreached people groups.
Header and story images courtesy of Deaf President Now!
