03/12/2026
On this day, March 12, 1990, many Disabled activists marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At the Capitol, many left their wheelchairs and mobility aids at the base of the stairs and crawled up the steps in a powerful act of civil disobedience, calling out the discrimination and inaccessibility that impacts Disabled Americans.
Later that year, on July 26, President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law — a milestone won through the leadership and persistence of the disability community.
[ID: A yellow graphic titled “Disability Rights Fun Fact” features four circular photos arranged around centered text. The top-left photo shows Disabled activists gathered at the base of the U.S. Capitol steps. The top-right photo shows several people beginning to crawl up the stone staircase. The bottom-left photo shows a larger group of activists moving up the steps on their hands and knees. The bottom-right photo shows a crowd of Disabled protesters assembled near the Capitol. Centered black text reads: “March 12, 1990, over 1,000 people marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Casting their wheelchairs and mobility aids aside, they crawled up the Capitol stairs.”]
