#AdvocacyMatters: Celebrating the ADA

July 25, 2025 / #AdvocacyMatters

On July 26th, 1990 – 35 years ago tomorrow - the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by George H.W. Bush. This landmark legislation prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in many areas of public life, and details requirements for equity and access in areas like employment, transportation, voting, parking, housing, and public accommodations. In the 34 years since its passing, the ADA has also elevated national awareness about accommodations for people with disabilities.

In March of 1990, more than 1,000 advocates marched from the White House to the Capitol to urge Congress to pass the ADA. Once they arrived outside the Capitol building, dozens of them left their wheelchairs and other mobility aides and crawled up the Capitol steps. This dramatic moment became known as the “Capitol Crawl,” a lasting demonstration of inaccessibility throughout society at the time.

At a recent Disability Pride and ADA Anniversary accessible roller-skating event in Cincinnati, disability rights activist and the former chairman of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Michael Denlinger reflected on the 35 years since the ADA was signed into law: “To see how far the world has come,” he told Cincinnati’s NPR affiliate as he maneuvered his electric wheelchair around the rink. “And to have a big skating rink that someone like me can drive on, and kind of in our own way be part of the same things that other people are — that's an amazing experience."

The anniversary will be marked tomorrow with celebrations across the country and throughout Ohio, including a virtual celebration hosted by the Dayton Public Library. You can learn more about that event by clicking here. You can learn more about the anniversary at www.adaanniversary.org/.

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