Disability History: Senator Harkin Delivers Floor Speech in American Sign Language Upon Passage of the ADA (7/13/90)

Upon passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 13th, 1990, Senator Tom Harkin delivered a speech on the Senate floor in American Sign Language. Harkin, whose brother Frank was deaf, was the lead Senate author of the ADA, which was enacted later that year. His speech is the first in American Sign Language to be delivered from the Senate floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BomPo6fPOOo

For captions, click on the ‘CC’ button at the bottom of the YouTube screen.

For more information:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): http://www.ada.gov

Senator Tom Harkin

Twitter: @SenatorHarkin

Website: http://www.harkin.senate.gov