Key Moments in Deaf History
In the late 1600s, Jonathan Lambert who was deaf, immigrated from England to Martha's Vineyard. His progeny had a congenital deafness and created a Deaf Culture unique to the island. For the first couple centuries, long before the development of American Sign Language, islanders used sign as naturally as spoken English.
Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD) in Columbus, Ohio, was established on October 16, 1829, making it the fifth oldest residential school in the country. OSD is the only publicly funded residential school for the Deaf in Ohio.
April 15, 1817: The American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut opens. It is the first permanent public school for the Deaf.
April 8, 1864: President Abraham Lincoln signs the charter of Gallaudet University in Washington. Gallaudet University is the first school for the advanced education of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing in the world.
Between the 1870s and 1970s, Deaf schools and departments were segregated and they remained so until after the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
Deaf Oralism was opposed to Deaf people using "gestures". In order to integrate Deaf people into the hearing society, Deaf Schools would have children sit on their hands or tie their hands to prevent any gesturing. In this photo, a Deaf child is trying to feel, through vibration, what the teacher is saying.
On March 3, 1887, Anne Sullivan began teaching six-year-old Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing after a severe illness at the age of 19 months. Together these women changed the world for Deafblind people. Image by Britannica ImageQuestTogether
Saint Rita School for the Deaf near Cincinnati, Ohio, opened in 1915 and became the first accredited high school for the Deaf in Ohio. Total Communication is taught. The school's Deaf and hearing teachers use ASL as a method of instruction, but the majority use is Simultaneous Communication.
Up to the 1950s, the predominant method in deaf education was Oralism. Linguists did not consider sign language to be true language. Recognition of the legitimacy of ASL was achieved by linguist William Stokoe at Gallaudet University. Aided by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Stokoe argued for the use of sign language in deaf education.
The cochlear implant, came to prominence in the late 1970s. It has inspired both strong support and vehement opposition. Among Deaf people, the implants are generally hailed as a boon for individuals who lost their hearing later in life, but use for Deaf children has been controversial.
March 13, 1988: The Deaf President Now movement succeeded. I. King Jordan was named the first Deaf president of Gallaudet University. Dr. Jordan became known as a symbol of self-determination and empowerment for Deaf and hard of hearing (HOH) people around the world.
Deaf History Resources
- Black Deaf HistoryBlack Deaf people have one of the most unique cultures in the world. The Black Deaf Community is largely shaped by two cultures and communities: Deaf and African-American.
- Deaf Culture: Cochlear ImplantThe cochlear implant has inspired both strong support and vehement opposition. Among deaf people, the implants are generally hailed as a boon for individuals who lost their hearing later in life, but their use in deaf children has been controversial.
- Deaf History & Awareness 1A look at the Deaf community yesterday, today, and tomorrow. How has the past affected our today,
- Deaf History: Communication DevicesDeaf History Month: Kids Try to Use Old Deaf Devices for the First Time
For Deaf History Month kids from the Utah School for the Deaf explore old communication devices. - Deaf OralismBeginning in the Middle Ages and continuing well beyond the eighteenth century, “medical” treatments were devised in an effort to “cure” deafness.
Customs
Facial expression and lipreading is part of communicating with Deaf/HOH people.
- Communication becomes more difficult with a mouth covered by facial hair or a mask .
- Speak at your normal pace.
- Write it down if you are not being understood.
- Don’t eat or chew gum while you talk.
- Maintain eye contact; try not to look away too much.
- Face forward while speaking.
- A Deaf person can only look at one individual at a time. Take turns speaking in a group.
- Gesturing and using clear facial expressions when speaking helps communication.
- It will get awkward at times. That's okay!
Direct Language: In Deaf Culture, it is unnecessary to “beat around the bush” when describing someone or something, even when speaking plainly would be deemed rude in hearing culture. For hearing people, describing someone as “the man with the large nose” might be considered rude. However, in Deaf Culture, this would merely be considered a concise and accurate description.