The streets of New York have always been agents of social change, not just within the United States but for the world at large. These streets embody a profound narrative—where New Yorkers rally, celebrate, and live their lives while shaping the course of history. They were influential during the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the 19th century, the Civil Rights Movement in the 20th century, and they continue to be significant today in Immigrant Rights and DACA Advocacy, as well as Climate Change activism. The Museum of the City of New York aims to capture NYC’s multifaceted role as a global city in their exhibit Activist New York. From pins to posters, videos to audios, the exhibit delves into thematic categories focusing on immigration, gender equality, political and civil rights, religious freedom, environmental advocacy, global issues and economic rights through mixed mediums.
A particular section that captured my attention focused on the advocacy for disability rights. Among the various movements highlighted in the exhibit, this specific cause stood out as one which I possessed the least knowledge of. Despite having watched the documentary Crip Camp, which, much like the play Ching Chong Chinaman we explored in class, seeks to reclaim and transform a derogatory term, I realized the limited awareness surrounding this movement in most history classes compared to other rights movements at the time. The first act of civil disobedience against disability discrimination was organized by the League of the Physically Handicapped as a response to the lack of employment opportunities created by the New Deal for individuals with disability during the Great Depression. Decades later, and Judith Heumann was still fighting the barriers to employment, having been denied a teaching license solely for her inability to walk. Pictured above is her Identification Card for Long Island University where she trained during the late 1960s in the hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher. She played a key role in what are known as the 504 sit-ins, which brought awareness to the government’s failure to implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This act was the first time it was legally acknowledged that inaccessibility is not a personal matter but the responsibility of the society to address.
Another major concern of the disability rights movement was transportation. It’s easy to overlook how inaccessible New York City really is to this day. Despite the visible presence of elevators in some MTA stations and priority seating in buses, the reality is that only 126 out of its total 472 stations accommodate individuals with disabilities. The picture below is of a 1990s campaign flyer detailing the information of a demonstration spotlighting MTA’s consistent failure to provide adequate accessibility for individuals using wheelchairs on buses. The bus operators often cited reasons such as a lack of access keys or malfunctioning equipment as excuses for their inability to operate bus lifts. Growing tired of hearing the same excuses and being stranded for hours at bus stops, Carr Massi acquired a copy of the key (seen below the poster) and presented it to the bus drivers whenever they claimed they couldn’t operate the lift for her to enter the bus. The accessibility struggle is in many ways still ongoing and does not only pertain to transport and employment but many other areas of life for many New Yorkers.
Preceding the exhibit was a mural titled Raise Your Voice by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya depicting 2 powerful activists of their time: Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama. Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya has been a prominent activist for many Asian American and Pacific Islander communities during the pandemic when many acts of violence and anti-Asian hate in NY were on the rise. Her artworks have been featured on Times Square billboards, bus stops, subway stations, buildings, and the cover of TIME Magazine. Her mural featured at the museum also poses the viewer instigating questions: How are you using your voice? What is your legacy? What do you stand for? Who will you protect? Why are you here? Unlike the exhibit, the mural puts the viewer in the spotlight, probing them to find their own role in present day activism and one day be part of the history contained in the evolving exhibit. Placing the mural in front of the exhibit really solidified that artwork can be just as much of a form of protest; although silent, its message is loud and clear.
Activism has undeniably changed over the past century, incurring more and more ways to include everyone’s voice through different mediums. Today, many people employ social media to spark social change and mobilize movements on a global scale. As activism continues to evolve with society, we gain increasing power to become major players in dictating our future and what movements will one day be contained in the exhibit.
I really liked your insight into Judith Heumann, I had never heard of her before but her role in disability accessibility was crucial. I think it’s important to remember that although some steps have been taken in society towards equality for all, nothing has truly been solved and we must still advocate for ourselves and our rights.
We coincidentally went to the same exhibit! I really like how you focused on disability rights and were able to make connections across multiple forms of media when you referenced Crip Camp and the play we read. I also liked how you mentioned a brief history of the issue- I enjoyed learning about it. When I use the MTA, I never really pay attention to the announcements of which station is accessible, and this reminded me how important it is, and how we as able-bodied people have even more of a responsibility to respond and amplify the issue.