A Disability History of the United States (ReVisioning History) Paperback – October 1, 2013

A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen"A Disability History of the United States" is the informative book about the history of the United States through experiences of people with disabilities. It's a story of stigma and pride denied, it's a journey of overcoming special challenges to make oneself at home. Professor of history and author of three books, Kim E. Nielsen takes the reader on an enlightening and often-disregarded history in the United States through the lives of people with disabilities. The book begins prior to European conquest and colonization and ends to the present time. I found the book to be more informational than inspirational but overall educational, I appreciate the author's candor for the need to explore even further and this book will help whet the appetite of such pursuits. This instructive 272-page book is composed is the following eight chapters: 1. The spirit chooses the body it will occupy: Indigenous North America, Pre-1492, 2. The poor, vicious, and infirm: Colonial Communities, 1492-1700, 3. The miserable wretches were then thrown into the sea: The Late Colonial Era, 1700-1776, 4. The deviant and the independent: Creating Citizens, 1776-1865, 5. I am disabled, and must go at something else besides hard labor: The Institutionalization of Disability, 1865-1890, 6. Three generations of imbeciles are enough: The Progressive Era, 1890-1927, 7. We don't want tin cups: Laying the Groundwork, 1927-1968, and 8. I guess I'm an activist. I think it's just caring: Rights and Rights Denied, 1968-.Positives:1. Straightforward accessible prose, a well researched and enlightening book.2. An interesting and often overlooked topic.3. The author does a wonderful job of being fair and even-handed. There is no political agenda whatsoever in this book; it's all about telling a story as accurately as possible. Bravo.4. The description of disability. What it has been equated to and the struggle to redefine it.5. The author does a good job through countless examples, to describe the struggles that people with disabilities have lived with and continue to do so. It's also interesting to see the evolution of the struggle.6. The book takes the reader on a journey through time, progressing chronologically through history and the experiences of people with disabilities.7. Indigenous understanding of disability. How the western concepts of wellness tragically conflicted with the indigenous embrace of body, mind and spirit as one.8. The effects of European incursions. How early European colonists viewed disability.9. The impact of racist ideologies. Tragic stories. The vicious tenets of scientific racism. Slavery.10. Categorizing disability. Understanding the new nation's quest to define good and "bad" citizens. Incompetent citizenship. "Dumb" residents. Legislation. The many different categories of disability and the factions and groups that form to combat societal indifferences .11. The consequences of war.12. There are some stories that will raise some eyebrows, "No woman, he warned, could simultaneously use 'a good brain' and a good reproductive system that serve the race." Thankfully, times have changed generally for the better.13. An exploration of the eugenics, oralist movements. Immigration restrictions and state compulsory-sterilization laws. "The belief that an immigrant was unfit to work justified exclusion, but so did the belief that an immigrant was likely to encounter discrimination because of disability." Some stories will make your jaws drop.14. The impact of industrialization.15. The period that led to activism among people with disabilities. The legislation that resulted from such activism. Education, opportunities.16. The impact of diseases, polio as an example.17. Overcoming architectural barriers through legislation.18. The struggle to overcome employment discrimination.19. Disability activism, disability pride and empowerment. The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.20. Links worked great.Negatives:1. My biggest complaint has to do with style versus substance. The book lacked passion or panache, it is clearly more informational than inspirational.2. A section of acronyms was warranted.3. A summary of laws enacted would have added value.4. An excellent notes section but no formal bibliography.5. This book is more an appetizer than the main entree but it's a very good appetizer indeed.In summary, this is quite an educational book. As an engineer I have firsthand knowledge of dealing with productivity and instrumentation as it relates to human methods but my history on disability was sadly lacking. This book did a wonderful job of filling that void. This book caught my eye and I'm very pleased to have read it. My only major criticism and it's merely one of style than substance, is the lack of passion or panache. The book is definitely more informative than inspirational, so if you the reader are looking for a book that inspires a call for action this is not that type of book. Sticking to her professorial roots, Nielsen took the educational route and in doing so did accomplish the goal of enlightening the public on this seldom-covered topic. "The Disability History of the United States" fills a void of knowledge, I recommend it!Further suggestions: " A Journey Into the Deaf-World " by Harlan Lane, Robert Hoffmeister and Ben Bahan, " Miracle Boy Grows Up: How the Disability Rights Revolution Saved My Sanity " by Ben Mattlin, " No Pity : People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement " by Joseph P. Shapiro, " Reflections from a Different Journey : What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew " by Stanley Klein and John Kemp, " From Disability to Possibility: The Power of Inclusive Classrooms " by Patrick Schwarz, " The Ugly Laws: Disability in Public (The History of Disability) " by Susan M. Schweik, " One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All " by Mark Robert Rank, and " Encyclopedia of American Disability History (3 Volume set) " by Susan Burch.

Read this in dialogue with Myth America and you’ll have a whole new take on the practical applications of intersectionality.

The introduction and outline set you up perfectly to follow the rest of the book smoothly. This should be on every book shelf. Absolutely love the discussions being had from reading this with friends.

For a book so reasonably priced, the seller provided a detailed description. The packaging was the best I've encountered in many, many orders from various sellers. And the delivery was faster than I anticipated, especially since I ordered the book in December, always a time of delayed deliveries.

The author of A Disability History of the United State, Kim E. Nielsen, is a professor of disability studies and History at The University of Toledo. The stories she shares are first-hand experiences. Alongside the narrative Nielsen paints a vivid picture of a shocking past. The evolution of the disabled culture and change in legislation has created the way we see things now. Hearing the stories from the people that have suffered in the past is an intense read. The book tells stories of the disabled’s persecution, that affected, who immigrated, and attempted to justify gender discrimination and slavery. Stories are told of women being forced into sterilization. There is also the narrative of a blinded slave being thrown off a boat to his demise.This book shows how our history regarding disabilities has shaped our society today. The way this text is written makes the reader think about personal and social identity in today's world. The reader is forced to face challenging moral and ethical issues of America's past. One important point that Nielson makes is that no one's disability experience is ever the same. Experiences vary depending on a number of factors, such as race, age, gender, region, socioeconomic class, type of disability, and so on. People with disabilities are often drawn together that have endured similar struggles, but it does not mean that all disabled people share the same past. There is a lesson to be learned from every experience shared, and each lesson helps us to understand our society a little better.You will learn about the stigma associated with disabilities. Also, you will gain insight on the transformation of language, for example, “that’s retarded”, “special”. There is information on popular cultural issues as well, for example, Freak Shows. Neilson brings to light that the synonyms for ‘disability’ are ‘deficiency’ and ‘dependent’; which vastly contradicts the American dream of independence and autonomy. Just as in the past African Americans, women, gays, and the poor have been labeled ‘defective citizens’. People with disabilities have experienced their own persecution, and now they will use it as their power. There has been a significant change in policy, regulation, legislation, and labor laws, and more is on the way.I recommend this book, if you are seeking real-life testimonies of the trials and tribulations that the disabled have had to endure over the years. I believe that it would be a great source for a research paper; it is an informative read. The book provides a clear timeline of historical events. This made it easy to see how history unravels. It explains the journey that many took to reach their current status. I hope you benefit from the information shared in this text. Kim talks about the human experience, what it means, and how it can change, and why it’s different for everyone.Truly eye-opening.

From the perspective of the USA, one can realize how many strides have been made and how much further we in the western cultures still need to go to achieve true levels of equality,especially as this pertains to those of us living with disabilities.