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The Chicagoland area has an amazing wealth of Asian American and Pacific Island history to explore – many of which you can access with your library card! Here are some resources that can help you find, discover, and learn about these communities. 

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Even before its founding in 2006, Deaf History Month has always been heavily intertwined with libraries.

In 1997, Alice Hagemeyer – a deaf librarian at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – created Deaf Awareness Week, which began on March 13th.

This date was chosen for historical significance, as it coincided with the 1988 appointment of Dr. I. King Jordan, the first deaf president of Gallaudet University – the United States’ first and only higher education institution designed for deaf and hard of hearing students. 

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Download a printable list of participating businesses.

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August 26^th is the day we celebrate Women’s Equality Day.

Ratified by Congress in 1973, Women’s Equality Day memorializes the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. The Nineteenth Amendment granted voting rights to many women across the United States and was a hard-won victory that signaled the changing times that were to come.

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Every July, people across the country celebrate Disability Pride Month, an annual observance that highlights the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of people with disabilities.

According to The Arc, more than 1 in 4 adults in the United States live with a disability, though most will likely experience being disabled – even temporarily – at least once in their life.

Disability Pride Month affirms that disabilities are not a deficit or condition that must be fixed for the person to be accepted, helping to promote inclusion. 

The reason for Disability Pride Month’s observance in July is to commemorate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26th, 1990.

The first Disability Pride Parade was hosted in 2004 by the city of Chicago, though the first official celebration was a Disability Pride Day hosted by the city of Boston in 1990.

Continue Reading "30 Ways To Celebrate Disabilities With Pride" →