Deaf President Now Movement Analysis

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Prior to March 1988, not many people in this country had read or seen any extensive information in the media concerning the deaf community (Kensicki 148). Separated from the rest of society and the conscious of the mainstream, Deaf issues where not the concern of the American public. The Deaf community was just one of the many overlooked minority groups here within America. That is until the eventful week in March that forced the nation to bare witness to the upcoming change within the Deaf community. Although the nation was no stranger to civil rights movements and protests by 1988, the Deaf President Now movement united voices together that were fighting for a different kind of justice. While other minority groups fought for a better …show more content…
No deaf person had ever served as president or chief academic officer; [and in addition] the board had a large majority of hearing members, a large majority of Gallaudet’s employees were also hearing people, and educational policy was thus determined by hearing people (Armstrong 1). This was reflective of the long history of the interaction between the Deaf and hearing worlds. For years, Deaf individuals had been treated was subhuman. Often referred to as “Deaf and Dumb”, they were denied the resources to advance in the world due to the belief that they did not possess the ability to do so. They were often exclude from education, jobs, and therefore could not survive on their own as functioning members of society. Slowly over decades and with the help of individuals such as Gallaudet himself, the Deaf were able to join society. Not only could they communicate with each other and the world through the usage of American Sign Language, but also they were able to become apprentices and find jobs. More and more the education of the Deaf continued to grow due to the support and efforts of the hearing world. However, in their journey to advance the Deaf community, hearing educators and reformers often overlooked the needs of those they were attempting to help. Deafness needs to be presented to deaf students as a physical characteristic that will not …show more content…
I. King Jordan best described the movement when he stated, “ it [The movement] was about a concept and not a person” (Mercer 1). Following the retirement of Lee the Board of Trustees began its nationwide search for the seventh president of the university. The trustees had encouraged deaf and hearing-impaired educators to apply, and for months had sent signals that this might be the time that they would choose such a president (Mercer 1). The Board of Trustees had narrowed the search down to three finalists: Dr. I. King Jordan, a popular dead dean among the students at Gallaudet University, Dr. Harvey J. Corson, a deaf superintendent from the Louisiana School for the Deaf, and Dr. Elizabeth Ann Zinser, a hearing Vice-Chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (McIntosh 3). As implied by the name of the movement, the board chose neither deaf candidate. Many were shocked and outraged at the board’s decision. On March 6, the same day the selection of Zinser was announced, the protest
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