03/12/2026
Today we celebrate the 36th Anniversary of ADAPT National organized disability rights crawl up the U.S. Capitol steps to demand swift and unamended passage of the ADA. Thanks to Sharon Mistler, then Executive Director of Endependence Center of Northern VA for her organizing support and opening ECNV to Mary Johnson, editor of Disability Rag and Ragged Edge, me and others to set up our media command post for three days of ADAPT actions.
This action was a defining moment in international news coverage of disability rights issues, matched only by the 1973 HEW (now HHS) 504 demonstrations, particularly in SF organized by American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD) the precursor of American Association of People with Disabilities and Gallaudet University Deaf President Now.
Thanks National ADAPT for this historic action. What are your recollections of that action? If you were not there, what have you heard?
Photos by Tom Olin of ADAPT activists crawling up the U.S. Capital steps and start of the March 12, 1990 Wheels of Justice March in the fronts rows, followed by 1,000 activists are Evan Kemp, Janine Bertram, Justin Dart, Stephanie Thomas, Frank Lorenzo, Jennifer Keelan, Jay Rochlin, Michael Winter, George Roberts, carrying the sign, "We Shall Overcome" and others - lead on!
