Disability History: Elmer Bartels and Fred Fay, Boston, MA

Alice Wong

11 years ago

Image for It's Our Story project. You see an American flag with the picture of the United States that's inside the upper right side of the flag instead of white starts. On the right side it says: Power. Passion. Pride.

It’s Our Story is a national initiative to make disability history public and accessible. Scott Cooper recorded and collected over 1,300 video interviews from disability leaders across the country since 2005. Check out a video uploaded on July 26, 2010:

Fred Fay and Elmer Bartels of Boston, MA speak about bringing independent living into the vocational rehabilitation community, working alongside Ed Roberts, and advocating for Disability Rights. Fred acquired a spinal cord injury at age 16; he became a leader for disability rights, founded the Boston Center for Independent Living, the Massachusetts Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, and of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities; he worked alongside many others to secure the passage of the ADA. Elmer broke his neck during a hockey game in college; he soon became a political leader in the disability community and served for 30 years as Commissioner of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, eventually becoming director of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.