President Bush Signs the ADA into Law
7/26/1990
Add to Favorites:
Add all page(s) of this document to activity:
This photograph shows President George Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 into law on the South Lawn of the White House. Shown sitting from left to right are: Evan Kemp, Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; President Bush; and Justin Dart, Chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. Shown standing from left to right are: Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino, Chairperson of the National Council on Disability.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids employers from discriminating against mentally or physically disabled employees. It also instituted accessibility requirements for buildings and public transportation, such as ramps for wheelchairs and posting signs in Braille.
The disability rights movement grew following the successes of the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the 1960s. The movement’s first big success came with the Rehabilitation Act, signed in 1973 by President Richard Nixon. The Rehabilitation Act prohibits the discrimination of the disabled by any Federal agencies, Federal programs, or Federally contracted employers.
The private sector did not fall under the Rehabilitation Act and was still able to fire (or not hire) employees based solely on their disability. Additionally, many buildings were inaccessible to the disabled, especially those aided by wheelchairs. It soon became clear that a broader law encompassing all employers needed to be passed.
The ADA defines "disability" as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities." The law not only prohibits discrimination; it also mandates that "reasonable accommodations" be made for those with disabilities. This means that the employer must be able to afford the accommodation and also that the disabled employee must be able to maintain the acceptable quality of work as done by non-handicapped peers.
The law also requires that all newly constructed public buildings follow regulations that allow disabled persons to maneuver on their own. These regulations include the construction of ramps, elevators, and accessible bathrooms.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids employers from discriminating against mentally or physically disabled employees. It also instituted accessibility requirements for buildings and public transportation, such as ramps for wheelchairs and posting signs in Braille.
The disability rights movement grew following the successes of the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the 1960s. The movement’s first big success came with the Rehabilitation Act, signed in 1973 by President Richard Nixon. The Rehabilitation Act prohibits the discrimination of the disabled by any Federal agencies, Federal programs, or Federally contracted employers.
The private sector did not fall under the Rehabilitation Act and was still able to fire (or not hire) employees based solely on their disability. Additionally, many buildings were inaccessible to the disabled, especially those aided by wheelchairs. It soon became clear that a broader law encompassing all employers needed to be passed.
The ADA defines "disability" as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities." The law not only prohibits discrimination; it also mandates that "reasonable accommodations" be made for those with disabilities. This means that the employer must be able to afford the accommodation and also that the disabled employee must be able to maintain the acceptable quality of work as done by non-handicapped peers.
The law also requires that all newly constructed public buildings follow regulations that allow disabled persons to maneuver on their own. These regulations include the construction of ramps, elevators, and accessible bathrooms.
This primary source comes from the Collection GB-WHPO: Records of the White House Photograph Office.
National Archives Identifier: 6037489
Full Citation: Photograph WHPC-A-P14777(18); President Bush signs into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on the South Lawn of the White House; 7/26/1990; George H. W. Bush Presidential Photographs, 1/20/1989 - 1/20/1993; Collection GB-WHPO: Records of the White House Photograph Office; George Bush Library, College Station, TX. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/bush-signs-ada, October 3, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
