Disability Pride Month commemorates the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act

In the United States, July is Disability Pride Month. The month recognizes the history, achievements, experiences and struggles individuals in the disability community face.

Some social media users claim Disability Pride Month occurs in July because it commemorates the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. But is that true?

THE QUESTION

Does Disability Pride Month occur in July to commemorate the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990?

THE SOURCES

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Congressional resolution recognizing July as Disability Pride Month
• U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy
• American Bar Association 
• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)
• The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• The Gale Review
• HEART Inclusive Arts Community, a nonprofit that provides mentorships and community engagement for adults with disabilities through the arts in Charleston, South Carolina

THE ANSWER

Yes, Disability Pride Month is in July to commemorate the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

WHAT WE FOUND

Disability Pride Month commemorates the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, a landmark federal civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination in the U.S.

On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law. It guarantees that people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else to enjoy employment opportunities, purchase goods and services, and participate in state and local government programs, according to ADA.gov.

Disability Pride initially started as a day of celebration. On Oct. 6, 1990, the first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, Massachusetts. More than 400 people “marched, drove, wheeled and moved” from City Hall to Boston Common in a demonstration to affirm that “disability is a natural part of the human experience,” according to a news report published after the event.

Boston’s Disability Pride Day marked “the next step in the disability rights movement,” according to organizer Amy Hausbrouk.

“It's about pushing the boundaries, now that the Americans with Disabilities Act has passed,” Hausbrouk told reporters.

Since then, Disability Pride celebrations have been held every year in July to commemorate the month when the ADA was passed. That includes major cities like Chicago, where the first annual Disability Pride Parade was held in July 2004; in New York, where former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July 2015 as Disability Pride Month to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the passage of the ADA; and in San Francisco, where Mayor London Breed designated July as Disability Pride Month in 2020.

Disability Pride Month has also been federally recognized by members of Congress. In July 2022, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Rob Portman (R-OH) as well as U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Ken Calvert (R-CA) introduced a bipartisan, bicameral resolution officially recognizing July as Disability Pride Month.

“By designating July as Disability Pride Month, this bipartisan resolution honors the many contributions Americans with disabilities have made to our country and acknowledges the need to continue the fight to address the barriers that Americans with disabilities face,” Klobuchar said.