Judith Heumann (1947–2023) – The Mother of the Disability Rights Movement

If you’ve ever used a curb cut, entered a building through an automatic door, or had access to special education support, you can thank Judith Heumann.

Paralyzed by polio at 18 months old, Judy was denied the right to attend kindergarten because she was considered a “fire hazard.” That moment ignited a lifetime of activism.

Heumann co-founded the Disabled in Action movement and led the now-famous 504 Sit-In in 1977, where disabled activists occupied a federal building for 26 days to demand enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. Thanks to her, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and later, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), became enforceable tools of justice.

She didn’t just fight for rights.

She created a blueprint.

She built a future.

Judy’s legacy reminds us: the fight for accessibility isn’t about charity—it’s about civil rights.

And it’s far from over.