On this day 32 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability, similar to other civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, religion, country of origin, etc. It also sets standards for access to public accommodation. There were many activists who fought hard for the law, and its worth pausing to remember their struggle and how recent their hard won rights have been.
For example, in 1999, the US Supreme Court held that unjustified segregation of those with disabilities was disability discrimination in violation of the ADA. In 2020, Amtrak settled a lawsuit against it and agreed to start making its stations accessible for those with disabilities. Let me repeat, that was 2020—two years ago. Earlier this year, the US settled a case against the Massachusetts Trial Court for its discrimination against drug court participants. Just earlier this month, the United States filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Chicago Cubs for their alleged failure to make recent additions and renovations to Wrigley Field accessible to those with disabilities, including those using wheelchairs. And about a week ago, the federal government announced the settlement of a disability discrimination lawsuit against Uber for charging extra fees to those who had a disability.
These cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Even today, those with disabilities still face significant discrimination and barriers to being fully participating members of society. There are lots of battles left to fight.