ADA Passage and the Capitol Crawl
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. Before its passage, the Capitol Crawl of March 12, 1990 — in which disabled protesters abandoned their wheelchairs and crawled up the 83 marble steps of the US Capitol — became one of the most powerful acts of disability civil disobedience in American history.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is the most comprehensive civil rights legislation for disabled people ever enacted in the United States. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment (Title I), public services (Title II), public accommodations (Title III), and telecommunications (Title IV).
The ADA was the culmination of decades of organizing — Section 504, the Independent Living Movement, ADAPT's direct action campaigns, and the sustained advocacy of hundreds of organisations and thousands of individuals.
The Capitol Crawl
On March 12, 1990, with the ADA stalled in the Senate, approximately 1,000 disability rights activists gathered outside the US Capitol. At a critical moment in the rally, dozens of protesters abandoned their wheelchairs and other mobility devices and began crawling up the 83 marble steps of the Capitol — a building with no accessible entrance — to dramatise the inaccessibility that the ADA would address.
Jennifer Keelan, an eight-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, became the most iconic image of the protest. After abandoning her wheelchair, she pulled herself up the Capitol steps, declaring "I'll take all night if I have to." Her determination — and her age — created an image that was broadcast nationally and helped galvanise public and congressional support for the ADA.
Justin Dart Jr., often called the "Godfather of the ADA," was the foremost national organiser and lobbyist for the legislation. A wheelchair user and committed disability rights champion, Dart toured all 50 states between 1987 and 1990, holding hearings at which disabled people testified about discrimination. He collected thousands of testimonials that documented the everyday barriers disabled Americans faced. Dart consistently used the language of civil rights and human dignity, framing disability rights as a continuation of America's founding ideals.
The Signing
President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA on July 26, 1990, in a ceremony at the White House attended by more than 3,000 people. In his speech, he said: "Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down."
The ADA passed with strong bipartisan support — a fact often noted given the partisan divisions of subsequent decades. Both conservative and liberal legislators recognised disability rights as consistent with American values of independence and equal opportunity.
Legacy and Limitations
The ADA transformed American society — from curb cuts and accessible bus systems to captioned TV and workplace accommodations. However, it has also faced significant limitations:
- The Supreme Court narrowed the ADA's scope in Sutton v. United Airlines (1999) and Toyota Motor Manufacturing v. Williams (2002), holding that mitigating measures should be considered in disability determination
- Congress responded with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, restoring broader protections
- Enforcement remains uneven; many disabled people face discrimination without effective recourse
- Digital accessibility under the ADA remains contested and inconsistently enforced