Being Heumann

by Judith Heumann

  • Beacon Press
  • 2020
  • ISBN: 978-0807019290
  • 240 pages
  • WorldCat
Being Heumann book cover
About the Book

One of the most influential disability rights activists in U.S. history tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and just be human. Paralyzed from polio at eighteen months, Judy’s struggle for equality began early in life. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a “fire hazard” to later successfully pressuring the Carter administration to implement protections for disabled peoples’ rights, sparking a national movement and leading to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ebook icon Audio book icon

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year for Nonfiction
Judith Heumann photo
About the Author

Judith "Judy" Heumann (1947-2023) was an internationally recognized disability rights activist, widely regarded as “the mother” of the Disability Rights Movement. She was a leader in the historic Section 504 Sit-In of 1977 and instrumental in the development and implementation of other disability rights legislation. Judy worked in the Clinton and Obama Administrations, as an advisor at the World Bank, and as a Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation. Judy's story is featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020).

Official Website of Judy Heumann 

Author photo: Rick Giudotti for Positive Exposure

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  • For Young Readers

    Rolling Warrior book cover

    Rolling Warrior: The Incredible, Sometimes Awkward, True Story of a Rebel Girl on Wheels Who Helped Spark a Revolution | Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner | Beacon Press | 2021 | 224 pages | ISBN 978-0807003596 | Middle Grade (10 and up) | WorldCat

Terms of use: Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) staff offer these health discussion resources for educational use. The materials included do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the author, publisher, or the sponsoring agencies of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).