‘We want to ride’: the 1978 protest that sparked the disability rights movement
Up First from NPR
Jul 26, 2026
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was not a gift, but a hard-won victory born from radical civil disobedience. The 'Gang of 19' proved that institutionalization was a choice, not a necessity, by forcing the public to confront the exclusion of disabled citizens from transit and community life.
Key insight: When police refused to arrest disabled protesters for blocking buses because they didn't have accessible vans or jails, the activists successfully sued for their 'right to be arrested' to ensure their protest was taken seriously.
