The Dark Side of Disability: Eugenics and Euthanasia
On July 26, 1990, a quiet minority found their voice. President George Herbert Walker Bush would sign into law the most comprehensive disability rights legislation to date 1 . However, the Americans with Disabilities Act was just the culmination of a silent minority struggle to be heard. This struggle is not often recognized. Since this blog is designed to empower people with disabilities and educate others, it would be inappropriate not to examine the Disability Rights Movement's history. For a group to have a powerful voice, they must understand their roots. In terms of the disability rights movement, it is important to examine the key figures involved and critical events and milestones within the training and the movement's goals up until the present day. The term disability is defined as "lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability; incapacity" 2 Initially, the term eugenics was coined by Sir Francis Galton in 1883 in his book Essa