The American Disabilities Act

Joseph Bragg is a "regular Joe" from Summers County. A Korean War veteran, he has lived in West Virginia all his life. When he had to go to the county courthouse in Hinton over a property dispute, he never thought that he would be filing a bigger suit of his own later that day. Since the city has many historical buildings, the courthouse being one, it was not accessible to people with disabilities. The courtroom was on the second floor and there was no elevator, only stairs to reach it. Mr. Bragg was faced the indignation of being carried up two flights of stairs by the Deputy Sheriff and another man because he used a wheelchair. However it was only until later, when he had to use the restroom, and had his son carry him to the first floor, only to find that his wheelchair would not fit through the door, did he get angry. He decided to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/sumstor.htm).

The American Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, has helped many people like Joe gain access to their communities. They no longer face the discrimination, segregation, and alienation of people with disabilities in years past. When the Rehabilitation Act was passed in 1973, it was a step towards, but not the complete path towards equal opportunity, accessibility, and inclusion in everyday society for people with disabilities. In the following pages, cases prior to and after the ADA will be discussed, including the still present need for public places to become accessible to people with disabilities.