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Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium

Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium

Honoring the historic struggle of Western Pennsylvanians with disabilities to attain human and civil rights.

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  • ABOUT
    • MISSION, VISION, & OBJECTIVES
    • EXECUTIVE & STEERING COMMITTEES
    • ADVISORS
    • STAFF
    • FUNDING
    • SPEAKERS BUREAU
    • IMPACT REPORTS
      • 2024 IMPACT REPORT
      • 2023 IMPACT REPORT
    • CONTACT
  • HISTORIC RESOURCES
    • HISTORIC TIMELINE
    • WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DISABILITY HISTORY COLLECTIONS
    • PENNSYLVANIA DISABILITY HISTORY RESOURCES
    • NATIONAL DISABILITY HISTORY RESOURCES
    • MEDIA ITEMS
    • RESEARCH INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS
    • HISTORIC MATERIALS SURVEY
  • OUR PROJECTS
    • INTERSECTION OF RACE AND DISABILITY PROJECT
    • POLK CENTER PROJECT
    • GATHER FOR CHANGE
      • Medical Safeguarding (Webinar)
      • A Vision for Families (2-part webinar)
      • The Camera’s Eye: Telling the Story of Disability through the Power of Film (Webinar)
      • The History of Human Services (2-day, in-person workshop)
    • PENNSYLVANIA DISABILITY HISTORY COLLABORATIVE
    • ADVOCACY
  • GET INVOLVED
    • SUPPORTERS PROGRAM
    • OUR CURRENT SUPPORTERS
    • COMMUNITY CALENDAR
    • NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
    • READ OUR ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
    • NEWS
    • HISTORIC MATERIALS SURVEY
  • DONATE

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A crowd holding up a banner that says "Injustice anywhere is a treat to justice everywhere" by MLK

Photo credit: Tari Hartman Squire. Used with Permission.

USING DISABILITY HISTORY TO ENSURE DISABILITY RIGHTS

The Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium preserves and shares the historic struggle of Western Pennsylvanians with disabilities to attain human and civil rights. We educate the public about disability history in order to improve community access, participation and equal opportunity, and to ensure disability rights through existing and new policies and laws. We join stakeholders across Pennsylvania to advocate on policies that ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities.

A group of black people at a disability fundraising event wearing matching purple shirts

INTERSECTION OF RACE
AND DISABILITY PROJECT

A group of people, one using a wheelchair, holding an ADA 25th anniversary banner

JOIN THE CONSORTIUM

A group of women in an old black and white photo, including a nurse and residents of an institution for people with disabilities

HISTORIC RESOURCES

The back view of a man using a wheelchair, a sign on the back of the chair reads disability rights are civil rights.

ADVOCACY

WPDHAC BY THE NUMBERS

22+

New collections & materials advanced to repositories (to date).

13

Long-form oral histories recorded (to date).

162

“Gather for Change” event attendees in 2024.

130,000+

Visitors to Heinz History Center’s “A Woman’s Place” exhibit viewed artifacts from the disability community, many collected in partnership with the Consortium.

OUR PARTNERS

The Consortium collaborates closely with the following valued community partners, whose support we deeply appreciate:

Achieva
Senator John Heinz History Center
Temple University Institute on Disabilities

NEWS


Bill Chrisner: On the Front Lines of Advocacy

Honoring History, Defending the Future: Disability Rights and Yom HaShoah

Join us at the 2025 Disability & Mental Health Summit – Free to Attend!

Uncovering Untold Stories: Disability History Featured at the Heinz History Center

View More News

Our Current Supporters Include:

UPMC Health Plan

View the full list of participating Supporters here.

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Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium
info@wpdhac.org

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NOTE TO WEBSITE VISITORS

The language and terminology used in historical materials on this site reflect the context and culture of the interviewee(s), and may include stereotypes in words, phrases, and attitudes that were wrong then and are wrong now.

Rather than remove this content, Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium wants to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.

Copyright by Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium. All rights reserved.
Website development by Cindy Leonard Consulting.