32 Facts About Judith Heumann

Judith Ellen "Judy" Heumann was an American disability rights activist, known as the "Mother of the Disability Rights Movement".

Judith Heumann was recognized internationally as a leader in the disability community.

Judith Heumann's contributions extended the international reach of the independent living movement.

Judith Heumann was born in Philadelphia, to Werner and Ilse Judith Heumann, who were German Jewish immigrants.

Judith Heumann was the oldest of three children and grew up in Brooklyn, New York.

Judith Heumann's mother came to the US from Germany in 1935 and her father in 1934.

Judith Heumann's brother Joseph Heumann is a film professor and author.

Judith Heumann contracted polio at the age of 18 months, and used a wheelchair most of her life.

Judith Heumann was then allowed to go to a special school in the fourth grade for disabled children.

Per city policy, Judith Heumann was to return to home instruction for high school.

Judith Heumann's mother rallied against this policy with other parents who put enough pressure on the school to reverse the policy.

Judith Heumann attended Camp Jened, a camp for children with disabilities, in Hunter, New York, every summer from ages 9 to 18.

Judith Heumann earned a Master of Science degree in public health at the University of California, Berkeley in 1975.

Judith Heumann began making major moves toward rights for people with disabilities while attending Long Island University.

Judith Heumann 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.

In 1970, Judith 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.

Judith Heumann received much mail from disabled people around the country due to press coverage of her suit against the Board of Education.

Ed Roberts asked Judith Heumann to move to California to work for the Center for Independent Living, where she served as deputy director from 1975 to 1982.

Judith Heumann was an early proponent of the Independent Living Movement.

Judith Heumann was responsible for the implementation of federal legislation for programs in special education, disability research, vocational rehabilitation, and independent living, serving more than 8 million youth and adults with disabilities.

Judith Heumann co-founded the World Institute on Disability with Ed Roberts and Joan Leon in 1983, serving as co-director until 1993.

Judith Heumann served in the Clinton Administration as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the United States Department of Education from 1993 to 2001.

Judith Heumann was Lead Consultant to the Global Partnership for Disability and Development.

In 2010, Judith Heumann became the Special Advisor on International Disability Rights for the US State Department appointed by President Barack Obama.

Judith Heumann was the first person to hold this role, and served from 2010 to 2017.

On January 20,2017, Judith Heumann left her post at the State Department with the arrival of a new administration.

From September 2017 to April 2019, Judith Heumann was a Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation.

Judith Heumann promoted the intentional inclusion of disability in philanthropy work.

Judith Heumann's book, Being Judith Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, was published in 2020.

In March 2021, Judith Heumann began producing a biweekly podcast, The Judith Heumann Perspective, where she spoke with disabled change-makers and their allies.

Judith Heumann's work has shown the vibrancy and strength of the social model of disability and the power and importance of the disability rights movement's central mantra: 'nothing about us without us.

Judith Heumann was awarded seven honorary doctorates, including doctorates from Brooklyn College and New York University.