Deaf History Month: Home

From the New York Times - how sign language is changing

The objectives of this four-year project are :
to create a filmed corpus of conversational Black ASL as it is used in the South; to provide a description of the linguistic features that make Black ASL recognizable as a distinct variety of ASL and of the history of the education of Black Deaf children; to disseminate the project findings in the form of teaching materials and instructional resources.

From the National Black Deaf Advocates:
The National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) is the official advocacy organization for thousands of Black Deaf and hard of hearing people in the United States.

"In March 1988, Gallaudet University experienced a watershed event that led to the appointment of the 124-year-old university’s first deaf president. Since then, Deaf President Now (DPN) has become synonymous with self-determination and empowerment for deaf and hard of hearing people everywhere." From Gallaudet University

Rare materials from the Internet Archive

From Gallaudet University, this timeline traces 150 years of campus history.

Wonderful resource for information on Deaf Culture in digital formats.

"... Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. ..." From the NAD website.

The Library of Congress provides primary sources about Deaf History and Deaf Culture, focusing on the many contributions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans.

As part of Gallaudet University, this museum provides outreach and programming about what it means to be deaf vs hearing within wider national and international communities. It also serves "to host historical, linguistic, and cultural scholarship that serves the University and its visitors as a resource on deaf life and artistic expression." From the National Deaf Museum website.

The Rochester Institute of Technology hosts a digital collection "dedicated to increasing knowledge of the history and culture of NTID and connected Deaf community members and strengthen identity formation and pride." From the Deaf Studies Archive

Article from the Paris Review which discusses the history or "oralism" or the argument that deaf children should be taught to speak rather than to sign.

"This exhibit explores how people have understood deaf communication and Deaf culture since the seventeenth century, with displays on the history of education, medical interventions, sign languages, and popular culture." From the Yale University Library Online Exhibitions