If you were born after 1990, it might be easy to think that the world has always had wheelchair ramps, closed captions, and bathroom stalls for people with disabilities. But none of those things existed until a few decades ago - and they all had to be demanded. Until a group of confrontational activists emerged out of Berkeley in the 1960s, it was legal to discriminate against people with disabilities. All that changed thanks to the radical students who built one of the most successful movements of the 20th century.
Today’s episode features my interview with Scot Danforth, the author of “An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights” (UC Press). Listen now to hear about how a man who couldn’t move his arms or legs changed laws, architecture, and society’s view on people with disabilities.
To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/he-wanted-people-to-take-risks/
Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday
Donate to keep this show alive: www.patreon.com/c/eastbayyesterday
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If you were born after 1990, it might be easy to think that the world has always had wheelchair ramps, closed captions, and bathroom stalls for people with disabilities. But none of those things existed until a few decades ago - and they all had to be demanded. Until a group of confrontational activists emerged out of Berkeley in the 1960s, it was legal to discriminate against people with disabilities. All that changed thanks to the radical students who built one of the most successful movements of the 20th century.
Today’s episode features my interview with Scot Danforth, the author of “An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights” (UC Press). Listen now to hear about how a man who couldn’t move his arms or legs changed laws, architecture, and society’s view on people with disabilities.
To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/he-wanted-people-to-take-risks/
Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday
Donate to keep this show alive: www.patreon.com/c/eastbayyesterday
“My neighborhood looks the same as it did 50 years ago”: What needs protection – and what needs to change?
East Bay Yesterday
1 hour 14 minutes 37 seconds
1 month ago
“My neighborhood looks the same as it did 50 years ago”: What needs protection – and what needs to change?
Everyone has opinions on the Bay Area’s problems with housing, transit and public infrastructure, but Darrell Owens digs deep into the historical roots of these issues on his Substack “The Discourse Lounge.” When Darrell is analyzing a topic like gentrification, he doesn’t just start in the 1990s or 2000. He’ll go back more than a century, because, yes, the origins of our current demographic trends really do stretch that far. He also knows how to grab readers’ attention with headlines like “Why new apartments look ugly” and “Bay Area nightlife sucks – here’s how to fix it.”
In addition to his writing, Darrell has been active with numerous “hands on” projects – from restoring long lost street neighborhood landmarks to installing “guerilla” bus benches at AC Transit stops lacking adequate seating. In this episode, Darrell and I discuss the origins of Nimby and Yimbyism, establishing criteria for historical preservation, the history of public housing, and much more.
To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/my-neighborhood-looks-the-same-as-it-did-50-years-ago/
Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday
Donate to keep this show alive: https://www.patreon.com/c/eastbayyesterday
Special thanks to the sponsor of this episode: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. To learn more about BAMPFA’s current exhibit “Lee ShinJa: Drawing with Thread,” visit: https://bampfa.org/program/lee-shinja-drawing-thread
East Bay Yesterday
If you were born after 1990, it might be easy to think that the world has always had wheelchair ramps, closed captions, and bathroom stalls for people with disabilities. But none of those things existed until a few decades ago - and they all had to be demanded. Until a group of confrontational activists emerged out of Berkeley in the 1960s, it was legal to discriminate against people with disabilities. All that changed thanks to the radical students who built one of the most successful movements of the 20th century.
Today’s episode features my interview with Scot Danforth, the author of “An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights” (UC Press). Listen now to hear about how a man who couldn’t move his arms or legs changed laws, architecture, and society’s view on people with disabilities.
To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/he-wanted-people-to-take-risks/
Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday
Donate to keep this show alive: www.patreon.com/c/eastbayyesterday
