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5 April 1977: 504 sit-ins
About this Episode
On this day, 5 April 1977, US disability rights activists and organisers stormed and occupied the offices of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and Seattle, demanding the enactment of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This was a crucial piece of disability civil rights legislation that had been passed 4 years earlier, which mandated that no federally funded programs could exclude persons with disabilities.
Despite the Act’s passage, the federal government, under the leadership of HEW director Joseph Califano, had been delaying their directive to create regulations which would operationalise the legislation. During that time regulations had been weakened in favour of business interests, under the guidance of an HEW task force which included no persons with disabilities. In response disability rights activists across the US formed the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD), who began organising the sit-ins.
Most notably, in San Francisco, disabled rights activists Judith Heumann, Kitty Cone, and Mary Jane Owen successfully organised approximately 150 disabled activists, and their supporters, in a 25 day occupation of the US Federal Building. This action was supported through a solidarity network which included the Black Panthers providing meals, allied politicians sending mattresses and bedding, and the International Association of Machinists, who helped to transport protestors, wheelchairs. and other equipment, and facilitated the transport for a delegation to Washington.
The regulations for section 504 were signed into law on 28 April, 1977.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/12535/504-sit-in
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
Despite the Act’s passage, the federal government, under the leadership of HEW director Joseph Califano, had been delaying their directive to create regulations which would operationalise the legislation. During that time regulations had been weakened in favour of business interests, under the guidance of an HEW task force which included no persons with disabilities. In response disability rights activists across the US formed the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD), who began organising the sit-ins.
Most notably, in San Francisco, disabled rights activists Judith Heumann, Kitty Cone, and Mary Jane Owen successfully organised approximately 150 disabled activists, and their supporters, in a 25 day occupation of the US Federal Building. This action was supported through a solidarity network which included the Black Panthers providing meals, allied politicians sending mattresses and bedding, and the International Association of Machinists, who helped to transport protestors, wheelchairs. and other equipment, and facilitated the transport for a delegation to Washington.
The regulations for section 504 were signed into law on 28 April, 1977.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/12535/504-sit-in
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
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Hosts & Guests
No transcript available for this episode.
