Women’s History
Read about famous disabled women
Women's Disability Activism – a timeline of notable women disability activists in the United States
Women disability advocates fight for dignity and independence.
Part One: Badass Disabled Women from History You Should Know About
Part Two: Badass Disabled Women of Colour Who Made History
Part Three: The Badass Disabled LGBTQ+ Women History Forgot
Read Books featuring famous disabled women
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vasthi Harrison
This book highlights a variety of different historical Black women who made an impact on our history. Pay special attention to the following featured Black women with disabilities: Sojourner Truth (an abolitionist preacher with a hand injury), Harriet Tubman (an abolitionist with narcolepsy, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury), Maya Angelou (a writer with selective mutism), and Audre Lorde (a writer with breast cancer). This book is written for children in 4th grade.
Famous Disabled Women
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
Lesson Plan - Maya Angelou: Life Doesn’t Frighten Me - Grades PreK - 2
Lesson Summary: In this read-aloud of a picture book version of Maya Angelou’s “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me”, students will learn about and discuss fear, what it means to be brave, and how to cope when feeling scared. Students will learn about Maya Angelou and selective mutism, which is an anxiety disorder that Maya Angelou experienced for 5 years during adolescence.
Read Aloud: Little People, Big Dreams-Maya Angelou
This book tells the story of Maya Angelou from childhood to adulthood. Maya Angelou was a writer, activist, dancer, and performer. She also had selective mutism, which is an anxiety disorder that makes it difficult to speak, as an adolescent as a result of a trauma. This book is written for children in grades 1-3.
Video of teacher and disability rights activist, Jessica Keogh, reading poems by Maya Angelou. Dr. Maya Angelou was a renowned American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist who lived with selective mutism as a result of trauma.
Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923)
Disability Studies, Temple U.: October 23: Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923)
Rosa May Billinghurst (1875–1953)
2 thoughts on “Turbulent Londoners: Rosa May Billinghurst, 1875-1953”
Mary Lou Breslin and Patrisha Wright
Jamie Brewer
Laura Bridgman (1829 - 1889)
Deaf History That: Laura Bridgman (Captioned)
Laura Bridgman- Forgotten History
Hidden In Plain Sight Laura Bridgman
Author Sally Hobart Alexander and her husband speak about and read an excerpt from the book:
She Touched the World: Laura Bridgman... - Sally & Robert Alexander
Anita Cameron
Longtime disability rights icon Anita Cameron retiring from protests
Disability Equality in Education conversation with Anita Cameron - July 26, 2021
Itty Bitty Bio Book about Anita Cameron
In This Moment (ITM) chapbook elevates the contributions, stories and images of local Black leaders, and writers. This ITM Chapbook about Anita Cameron is available in pdf and audio format for free - grades 5 - 12
Disability Conversations: Anita Cameron - On July 26, 2021 - the 31st anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act - DEE spent some time talking with Disability activist, Anita Cameron.
Loretta Claiborne
Special Olympics Gold Medalist
Kitty Cone (1944 - 2015)
Kitty Cone: Advocate for Disability Rights | Because of Her Story
Kitty Cone - Overlooked No More
Sen. Tammy Duckworth
Senator Tammy Duckworth: An Advocate for Disability and Veteran's Rights
Ella Kate Ewing (1872 - 1913)
A Tale of Two Kates • Missouri Life Magazine
Read Aloud: Stand Straight, Ella Kate
Hannah Gadsby
Autism Spectrum Diagnosis Helped Comic Hannah Gadsby 'Be Kinder' To Herself
Haben Girma
She Owes Her Activism To A Brave Mom, The ADA And Chocolate Cake
Claudia Gordon
Temple Grandin
Read Aloud: The Girl Who Thought In Pictures by Julia Finley Mosca | Read Aloud for Kids | The Reading Booth
Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)
Read Aloud: Voice of Freedom Fannie Lou Hamer Read Aloud - Voting Rights - Civil Rights
This book tells the story of Fannie Lou Hamer. Fannie Lou Hamer was a civil rights leader. She also walked with a limp and had kidney damage and a visual impairment as a result of a severe beating. This book addresses many issues, including eugenics, Jim Crow, voting rights, police brutality, and civil disobedience. This book is written for children in 1st - 2nd grade.
Marilyn Hamilton
Sports: Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers | Marilyn Hamilton | Smithsonian's National Museum of American History |
Marilyn Hamilton | Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Agatha Tiegel Hanson (1879-1959)
Agatha Tiegel Hanson – Gallaudet University
Laura Hershey (1962 - 2010)
Poem by Laura Hershey: “You Get Proud By Practicing”
Video of teacher, and disability rights activist, Jessica Keogh reading the poem "Proud by Practicing" by Laura Hershey. Laura Hershey was a poet, journalist, feminist and disability rights activist.
Judith Heumann
Judy Heumann: Disability is a strength (Simple Things Count episode 3)
Book - Rolling Warrior by Judith Heumann and Kristin Joiner - grades 5-9
Sonya Huber
The Disability March as a Meta-Cyberprotest
Joyce Johnson (1947 - 2013)
Remembering Joyce Jackson Black Disabled Phenomenal
Harriet McBryde Johnson (1957-2008)
Barbara Jordan
Read Aloud: What Do You Do With a Voice Like That?
This book tells the story of Barbara Jordan. Barbara Jordan was the first African American woman from a Southern state to serve in Congress. Barbara Jordan also had Multiple Sclerosis. This book would also be useful in a lesson about civic engagement, impeachment, or the political process. The end of this book has more resources for learning about Barbara Jordan. This book is written for children in PreK - 4th grade.
Frida Kahlo
Lesson Plan - Hispanic Heritage: Frida Kahlo (Intersectionality of Ableism, Creativity, and Feminism) - Grades 6-8
KIDS LEARN ABOUT FRIDA KAHLO, MEXICAN ARTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE
Artist Spotlight: Frida Kahlo Lesson Plan - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
What this painting tells us about Frida Kahlo - HIGH SCHOOL
Frida Kahlo: The woman behind the legend - Iseult Gillespie
Jennifer Keelan Chaffins
Lesson Plan - All the Way to the Top Lesson Plan - Grades K - 5
Read Aloud: “All the Way to the Top”
Colorado Woman Who Helped Get ADA Passed 30 Years Ago Says There's More Work To Do
Hellen Keller
Read Aloud: I am Helen Keller by Brad Meltzer | READ ALOUD
Annette Kellermann (1886–1975)
The Diving Venus: Annette Kellermann – Hark Around the Greats
Adelaide Knight (1871–1950)
Dorothea Lange (1895–1975)
Read Aloud: Dorothea's Eyes
Dorothea Lange: Drawing Beauty Out Of Desolation
Kayla McKeon
Jillian Mercado
Jillian Mercado on Her Runway Debut and Fighting For the Disabled Community
Corbett O’Toole
Previous Voices from the Disability Community: Corbett O'Toole
Elizabeth Ware Packard
Elizabeth Packard – Legal and Mental Health Reformer – Illinois History & Lincoln Collections
Marta Russell
Eunice and Rosemary Shriver
Sonia Sotomayor
Read Aloud: "Turning Pages: My Life Story" by Sonia Sotomayor
Alice T. Terry
Greta Thunberg
'I Am Greta' Puts Greta Thunberg's Autism Front & Center
Soujourner Truth
Sojourner Truth Was A Disabled Social Justice Activist
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman: Disability Rights in Black 2020
Read Aloud: 📚 Read Aloud | I Am Harriet Tubman by Brad Meltzer
This book is about Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist who worked on the Underground Railroad. She also had a traumatic brain injury that led to narcolepsy and epilepsy. In the book, the injury is addressed and there is a scene where Harriet talks about how it caused “vivid dreams”, which was a symptom of the traumatic brain injury. The book shows these dreams as having a positive impact on Harriet’s life; this scene can be used to teach a lesson about how disability can be a good thing. This book was written for children in Kindergarten to 3rd grade.
Cheryl Marie Wade
Overlooked No More: Cheryl Marie Wade, a Performer Who Refused to Hide
"Disability Culture Rap." Featuring poet/activist/performer Cheryl Marie Wade - HIGH SCHOOL
Lyrics: Disability Culture Rap
Barbara Faye Waxman
Overlooked No More: Barbara Waxman Fiduccia, Reproductive Rights Advocate
Alice Wong
Stella Young
Stella Young Ted Talk: I am not your inspiration thank you very much