Judith Ellen "Judy" Heumann (born December 18, 1947) is an American
disability rights
The disability rights movement is a global social movement that seeks to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities.
It is made up of organizations of disability activists, also known as disability advocat ...
activist. She is recognized internationally as a leader in the disability community. Heumann is a lifelong civil rights advocate for people with disabilities. Her work with governments and
non governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profits, and various other disability interest groups, has produced significant contributions since the 1970s to the development of human rights legislation and policies benefiting children and adults with disabilities. Through her work in the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
and the
State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
, Heumann led the mainstreaming of disability rights into international development. Her contributions extended the international reach of the
independent living
Independent living (IL), as seen by its advocates, is a philosophy, a way of looking at society and disability, and a worldwide movement of disabled people working for equal opportunities, self-determination, and self-respect. In the context o ...
movement.
Early life
Heumann was born to Werner and Ilse Heumann, who were German Jewish immigrants.
She had
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
at the age of 18 months, and has used a
wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, problems related to old age, or disability. These can include spinal cord injuries ( paraplegia, hemiplegia, and quadriplegia), cerebr ...
most of her life. Heumann had to fight repeatedly to be included in the educational system. The local public school refused to allow her to attend, calling her a fire hazard
due to her inability to walk.
Instead, for three years she was given home instruction twice a week, for about an hour each visit. Heumann's mother, Ilsa Heumann, a community activist in her own right, challenged the decision. Heumann was then allowed to go to a special school in the fourth grade for disabled children. Per city policy, Heumann was to return to home instruction for high school. Heumann's mother rallied against this policy with other parents who put enough pressure on the school to reverse the policy. Heumann entered high school in 1961.
She attended
Camp Jened
Camp Jened was a summer camp for disabled people in the state of New York (state), New York that became a springboard for the disability rights movement and Independent living, independent living movement in the United States. Many campers and c ...
, a camp for children with disabilities, in
Hunter, New York
Hunter is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town located in Greene County, New York, Greene County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 2,732 at the time of the 2010 census. The town contains three Administra ...
every summer from ages 9 to 18. Heumann's experience of camp brought her a greater awareness of the connectedness of the disabled experience, later saying, "We had the same joy together, the same anger over the way we were treated and the same frustrations at opportunities we didn't have."
At Camp Jened, Heumann met Bobbi Linn and Freida Tankus, who she would later work with as disability rights activists. The 2020 documentary ''
Crip Camp'' features Camp Jened campers, including Heumann.
College
Heumann began making major moves toward rights for people with disabilities while attending
Long Island University
Long Island University (LIU) is a private university with two main campuses, LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn, in the U.S. state of New York. It offers more than 500 academic programs at its main campuses, online, and at multiple non-residential. LIU ...
. She organized rallies and protests with other students with and without disabilities, demanding access to her classrooms by ramps and the right to live in a dorm. Heumann studied
speech therapy
Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...
.
''Heumann v. Board of Education of the City of New York''
In 1970, Heumann was denied her New York teaching license because the Board did not believe she could get herself or her students out of the building in case of a fire. She sued the Board of Education
on the basis of discrimination. A local newspaper ran a headline of 'You Can Be President, Not Teacher, with Polio'. The case settled without a trial
and Heumann became the first wheelchair user to teach in New York City and taught elementary school there for three years.
Policy work and advocacy
Disabled in Action
Heumann received much mail from disabled people around the country due to her press coverage while suing the Board of Education. Many wrote in about their experiences with discrimination because of their disabilities. Based on the outpouring of support and letters, in 1970, Heumann and several friends founded
Disabled in Action
Disabled In Action of Metropolitan New York (DIA) is a civil rights organization, based in New York City, committed to ending discrimination against people with disabilities through litigation and demonstrations. It was founded in 1970 by Judith ...
(DIA), an organization that focused on securing the protection of people with disabilities under civil rights laws through political protest. It was originally called Handicapped in Action, but Heumann disliked that name and lobbied to change it. Early versions of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 () is a United States federal law, codified at et seq. The principal sponsor of the bill was Rep. John Brademas (D-IN-3). The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 replaces preexisting laws (collectively referred to as the V ...
were vetoed by President
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
in October 1972 and March 1973. In 1972, DIA demonstrated in New York City with a sit-in protesting one of the vetoes. Led by Heumann, eighty activists staged this
sit-in on Madison Avenue, stopping traffic.
Center for Independent Living
Ed Roberts asked Heumann to move to California to work for th
Center for Independent Livingwhere she served as the deputy director from 1975 to 1982.
She was an early adopter of the
Independent Living Movement
Independent living (IL), as seen by its advocates, is a philosophy, a way of looking at society and disability, and a worldwide movement of disabled people working for Equal opportunity, equal opportunities, self-determination, and self-respect. ...
.
Heumann was responsible for the implementation of legislation at the national level for programs in special education, disability research, vocational rehabilitation and independent living, serving more than 8 million youth and adults with disabilities.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
While serving as a legislative assistant to the chairperson of the
U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare in 1974, Heumann helped develop legislation that became the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a piece of American legislation that ensures students with a disability are provided with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that is tailored to their individual needs. IDEA was ...
.
504 Sit-in
In 1977,
Joseph Califano
Joseph Anthony Califano Jr. (born May 15, 1931) is an American attorney, professor, and public servant. He is known for the roles he played in shaping welfare policies in the cabinets of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter and for se ...
, U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, refused to sign meaningful regulations for
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which was the first U.S. federal civil rights protection for people with disabilities. Califano issued orders that no meals or medication would be allowed in the HEW federal building to force them out.
The protesters then contacted
Delancey Street Foundation
The Delancey Street Foundation, often simply referred to as Delancey Street, is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that provides residential Drug rehabilitation, rehabilitation services and Vocational education, vocational training pro ...
and
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
, which agreed to bring them food for the following day.
Fellow protester Kitty Cone developed a way to keep medication cool by taping a box over the air conditioner unit to store the medication of the disabled protesters.
Additionally, the protesters received support from the
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, Califo ...
after receiving a call from
Brad Lomax a disabled protester with
multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
and member of the Black Panther Party. Lomax called the Black Panthers to support the protesters with meals, and the Black Panthers brought them hot meals and snacks for the duration of the Sit-in.
After an ultimatum and deadline, demonstrations took place in ten U.S. cities on April 5, 1977, including the beginning of the 504 Sit-in at the San Francisco Office of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. This sit-in, led by Heumann and organized by
Kitty Cone
Kitty Cone (April 7, 1944 – March 21, 2015) was an American disability rights activist. She had muscular dystrophy. She moved to the California Bay Area in 1972, and began working as a community organizer for the disability rights movement in 19 ...
, lasted until May 4, 1977, a total of 28 days, with about 125 to 150 people refusing to leave.
It is the longest sit-in at a federal building to date. Joseph Califano signed both Education of All Handicapped Children and Section 504 on April 28, 1977.
World Institute on Disability
Heumann co-founded the World Institute on Disability with
Ed Roberts and
Joan Leon Joan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters
*:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine
*Joan (surname)
Weather events
*Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multipl ...
in 1983, serving as co-director until 1993.
Department on Disability Services
Mayor Fenty, District of Columbia, appointed Heumann as the first Director for the Department on Disability Services, where she was responsible for the Developmental Disability Administration and the
Rehabilitation Services Administration
The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) is a federal agency under the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and is headquartered within the Department of Education in Washingto ...
.
Clinton Administration
Heumann served in the
Clinton Administration
Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following a decisive election victory over Re ...
as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...
from 1993 to 2001.
World Bank
From 2002 to 2006, Heumann served as the
World Bank Group
The World Bank Group (WBG) is a family of five international organizations that make leveraged loans to developing countries. It is the largest and best-known development bank in the world and an observer at the United Nations Development Grou ...
's first Advisor on Disability and Development, leading the World Bank's work on disability and worked to expand the Bank's knowledge and capability to work with governments and civil society on including disability in the Bank discussions with client countries, its country-based analytical work, and support for improving policies, programs, and projects that allow disabled people around the world to live and work in the economic and social mainstream of their communities.
She was Lead Consultant to the Global Partnership for Disability and Development.
Special Advisor
In 2010, Heumann became the Special Advisor on International Disability Rights for the U.S.
State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
appointed by President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
. Heumann was the first to hold this role,
and served from 2010 to 2017.
On January 20, 2017, Heumann left her post at the State Department with the change of a new administration. The Special Advisor role was disestablished by
United States Secretary of State
The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...
Rex Tillerson
Rex Wayne Tillerson (born March 23, 1952) is an American engineer and energy executive who served as the 69th U.S. secretary of state from February 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, under President Donald Trump. Prior to joining the Trump administ ...
in 2017. Paralympian
Ann Cody
Ann Cody (born May 14, 1963) is a three-time U.S. Paralympian who works at the United States Department of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on the advancement of international disability rights. After debuting at the 198 ...
was currently the most senior official working on international disability rights at State. In November 2021, President Joseph R. Biden appointed Sara Minkara as Special Advisor on International Disability Rights (SAIDR) at the U.S. State Department. Special Advisor Minkara is the first person to hold this office since the Obama administration, as well as the youngest, and the first Muslim-American in its history.
Ford Foundation
From September 2017 to April 2019, Heumann was a Senior Fellow at the
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
. At Ford, she worked to help advance the inclusion of disability in the Foundation's work. She also promoted the intentional inclusion of disability in philanthropy work. Heumann produced a paper co-written by Katherine Salinas and Michellie Hess titled ''Roadmap for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media''. This paper explores the lack of representation of disabled people in front of and behind the camera, as well as prominent stereotypes of disabled characters when represented in the media, and concludes with a call to action to increase disabled representation in media.
Author
Heumann's book, ''Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist'', was published in February 2020.
It tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and "just be human".
Media
* .
* The 2008 documentary
The Power of 504' prominently features Heumann.
* Heumann appears in the 2011 documentary ''
Lives Worth Living
''Lives Worth Living'' is a 2011 documentary film directed by Eric Neudel and produced by Alison Gilkey, and broadcast by PBS through ITVS, as part of the Independent Lens series. The film is the first television chronicle
of the history of the Am ...
''.
* Heumann delivered
TEDtalk in 2017.
* Comedy Central made a 2018 episode o
Drunk Historyon the 504 Sit-in, with Heumann played by
Ali Stroker
Alyson Mackenzie Stroker (born June 16, 1987) is an American actress, author and singer. She is the first wheelchair-using actor to appear on a Broadway stage, and also the first to be nominated for and win a Tony Award. Stroker was a finalist on ...
.
* Heumann appeared o
Bloomberg on 7/6/2019to discuss representation of disability in the media.
* Heumann was interviewed by
Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African-born comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and former television host. He was the host of ''The Daily Show'', an American late-night talk show and satirical news progra ...
on ''
The Daily Show
''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form from ...
'' in 2020.
* Heumann is featured in the 2020 documentary ''
Crip Camp''.
*Heumann was interviewed by the
Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that carries out economic and social policy research to "open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions". The institute receives funding from government contracts, foundations and pr ...
In Conversation with International Disability Rights Activist Judy Heumann
*Heumann was interviewed by the
Center for Jewish History
The Center for Jewish History is a partnership of five Jewish history, scholarship, and art organizations in New York City: American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute New York, Yeshiva University Museum, ...
Being Heumann with Judy Heumann
Education
Heumann graduated from
Long Island University
Long Island University (LIU) is a private university with two main campuses, LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn, in the U.S. state of New York. It offers more than 500 academic programs at its main campuses, online, and at multiple non-residential. LIU ...
in 1969. She also earned a Master of Science degree in public health at the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
in 1975.
Awards and recognition
* 2022: Named one of the
BBC 100 Women
''100 Women'' is a BBC multi-format series established in 2013. The annual series examines the role of women in the 21st century and has included events in London and Mexico. Announcement of the list is the start of an international "BBC's women ...
* 2020:
Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards
The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards were established to honor the legacy of the founder of the Viscardi Center, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., a leading disability rights advocate who wore prosthetic limbs. These international Awards, first conferr ...
* 2020:
Critics' Choice Documentary Award honor as one of the "Most Compelling Living Subjects of a Documentary", regarding the documentary ''
Crip Camp''
* 2019: Th
Lurie Institute for Disability Policygave an award "The journey to Achieving Equality: Past, Present, and Future of Disability Activism with gratitude for your leadership and activism in civil rights."
*2018: Women's Caucus Award given by the
National Council on Independent Living
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is an American nonprofit organization focused on disability rights advocacy. It is a membership organization of centers for independent living that provide services, advocacy, and referrals to peop ...
* 2018
Society for Disability StudiesPresident's Award. SDS says of their decision to award Heumann:
* 2017: U.S. International Council on Disabilities,
Dole
Dole may refer to:
Places
* Dole, Ceredigion, Wales
* Dole, Idrija, Slovenia
* Dole, Jura, France
** Arrondissement of Dole
* Dole (Kladanj), a village at the entity line of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina-Republika Srpska
* Dole, Ljubušk ...
-
Harkin Award
* 2017
InterActionDisability Inclusion Award
in recognition of Heumann's major impact on disability inclusion in international development.
* 2014: The Berkeley Rotary Club gave its annual Rotary Peace Grove Award to Heumann and the late Ed Roberts, another disability rights activist.
* Max Starkloff
Max Starkloff (September 18, 1937, St. Louis, Missouri – December, 2010) was a disability rights activist. Starkloff became disabled in a car accident in 1959 and subsequently co-founded three organizations.
Personal life
In 1959, at the ...
Lifetime Achievement Award fro
National Council on Independent Living
In recognition of a lifetime of dedicated hard work and leadership to advance th
Independent Living and Disability Rights Movements
and her commitment to the protection and expansion of the civil and human rights of people with disabilities.
* Champion of Disability Rights Award from th
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
"For lifelong commitment and activism for the human and civil rights of children and adults with disabilities in the United States throughout the world."
* Advocacy Award from ALPHA Disability Section: "This award is presented to a person or a consumer-driven organization who has demonstrated excellence in the area of advocacy to improve the health and quality of life for people with disabilities."
* Distinguished Service Award from NARRTC (formerly known as the National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers): "In recognition of important contributions and achievements that have strategically advanced the field of disability through her research, teaching, service, and advocacy on behalf of person with disabilities."
* Heumann was the first recipient of the Henry B. Betts Award from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (later awarded jointly with the American Association of People with Disabilities
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which advocates for the legal rights of people with disabilities.Imparato, Andrew J. 2005. "AAPD In Its Second Decade," ''AAPDnews'' (Spring 2005), ...
).
Heumann has been awarded seven honorary doctorates:
# Long Island University
Long Island University (LIU) is a private university with two main campuses, LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn, in the U.S. state of New York. It offers more than 500 academic programs at its main campuses, online, and at multiple non-residential. LIU ...
, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, 1994
# University of Toledo
The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of T ...
, Ohio, an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service, 2004
# The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univ ...
, Honorary Doctorate of Public Administration, 2001
# Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls about 15,000 undergraduate and 2,800 graduate students on a 35-acre campus.
Being New York City's first publ ...
, Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, 2018
# Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
, Honorary Doctorate of Education, 2019
# Rowan University
Rowan University is a public research university in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a medical campus in Stratford and medical and academic campuses in Camden. It was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a site donated by 107 residents.
...
, Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, 2019
# New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, 2022
Personal life
Heumann was born in Brooklyn to German-Jewish immigrants and is the oldest of three children.
Her mother came to the US from Germany in 1935 while her father came in 1934. Heumann lost her grandparents and great-grandparents in the war.
She is the sister of Joseph Heumann, a film professor and author.
Judy does not view her disability as a tragedy, saying, "Disability only becomes a tragedy for me when society fails to provide the things we need to lead our lives––job opportunities or barrier-free buildings, for example. It is not a tragedy to me that I'm living in a wheelchair."
Heumann is married to Jorge Pineda, and lives in Washington, D.C.
References
Further reading
* Judith E. Heumann, ''Including the Voices of Disabled People in the International Development Agenda'', Thornburgh Family Lecture Series,
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
The University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Pitt Law) was founded in 1895. It became a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools in 1900. Its primary home facility is the Barco Law Building. The school offers four degrees: Master ...
accessed a
July 24, 2006
* Judith E. Heumann, ''Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement: Pioneering Disability Rights Advocate and Leader, 1960s-2000'', oral history,
Online Archive of California
The California Digital Library (CDL) was founded by the University of California in 1997. Under the leadership of then UC President Richard C. Atkinson, the CDL's original mission was to forge a better system for scholarly information management a ...
, 2004, retrieved fro
Pioneering Disability Rights Advocate and Leader in Disabled in Action, New York; Center for Independent Living, Berkeley; World Institute on Disability; and the US Department of Education, 1960s-2000July 24, 2006
* Ilene Zeitzer interview with Heumann. Originally published in, "Change from Within: International Overview of the Impact of Disabled Politicians and Disability Policy Bodies on Governance". retrieved fro
April 29, 2009
External links
Bio details
Bio details on World Institute on Disability website*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heumann, Judith
1947 births
Living people
20th-century American Jews
American people of German-Jewish descent
American people with disabilities
Clinton administration personnel
Disability rights activists from the United States
Long Island University alumni
Obama administration personnel
United States Department of Education officials
United States Special Envoys
UC Berkeley School of Public Health alumni
Wheelchair users
21st-century American Jews
BBC 100 Women