Gallaudet University in Washington DC is one of the most unique educational institutions in the world. It is the only university where all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students. From its founding in 1864 to its role as a global center of deaf culture and learning today Gallaudet University has shaped generations of deaf leaders artists educators and advocates.
How Gallaudet University was founded
The story of Gallaudet University begins with a man named Amos Kendall who in 1856 donated land and money to establish a school for deaf and blind children in Washington DC. He invited Edward Miner Gallaudet the son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet who had helped create the first American school for the deaf to lead the new institution.
Edward Miner Gallaudet had a vision that went far beyond a basic school. He wanted a full university where deaf students could earn bachelor degrees and pursue advanced education on the same level as any hearing institution. In 1864 he convinced President Abraham Lincoln to sign the bill that authorized the institution to grant college degrees. That presidential signature made Gallaudet the first and still only university in the world created specifically for deaf students.
The institution was originally called the Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind. It was renamed Gallaudet College in 1954 in honor of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. It became Gallaudet University in 1986.
The growth of Gallaudet through the 20th century
Through the late 1800s and early 1900s Gallaudet grew steadily. Its location in Washington DC gave it proximity to political power which proved essential in the many battles the deaf community would fight for recognition and rights.
The university developed strong programs in education liberal arts science and the arts. It became the training ground for most of the deaf educators who would go on to run schools for the deaf across the country. The influence of Gallaudet graduates on deaf education in America cannot be overstated.
During this period the university also became a center for the preservation and development of American Sign Language. At a time when many educators were trying to eliminate sign language and force deaf students to speak orally Gallaudet remained a place where ASL was used valued and studied.
The Deaf President Now movement of 1988
The most important moment in Gallaudet University's modern history came in March 1988. When the university's board of trustees chose a hearing person as the new university president despite two highly qualified deaf candidates the student body responded with a protest that would change everything.
Students faculty staff and alumni shut down the campus for an entire week. Their demand was simple. Gallaudet deserved a deaf president. The protest gained national attention and became known as the Deaf President Now movement. After one week of sustained protest the board reversed its decision and Dr. I. King Jordan became the first deaf president of Gallaudet University.
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DEAF CULTURE AND HISTORY
The Deaf President Now movement was a watershed moment not just for Gallaudet but for the entire disability rights movement in America. It directly influenced the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. It showed the world that deaf people could advocate powerfully for themselves and win.
Gallaudet University today
Today Gallaudet University serves approximately 1500 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers degrees in more than 40 undergraduate programs and over 30 graduate programs. All instruction is conducted in ASL and English. Interpreters are available in all classes and settings.
The university runs one of the most respected drama departments for deaf students in the world. Its theatre program has trained generations of deaf actors directors designers and playwrights who have gone on to work professionally across theatre film and television.
Gallaudet's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center serves as a research and development center for deaf education nationally. Its work informs how deaf students are taught across the United States.
The cultural significance of Gallaudet
Beyond academics Gallaudet University functions as the symbolic heart of American deaf culture. It is where deaf intellectuals gather where ASL research happens where deaf arts are created and performed and where each generation of deaf leaders is educated and shaped.
Many of the most important figures in deaf culture and deaf arts history are Gallaudet alumni or faculty. The university's campus in Washington DC has hosted lectures protests performances and celebrations that have defined the trajectory of deaf life in America for over 150 years.
Conclusion
Gallaudet University is not simply a school. It is a monument to what deaf people have built for themselves when given the freedom to do so on their own terms. From Abraham Lincoln's signature in 1864 to the Deaf President Now movement to its role as a global center of deaf culture today Gallaudet University stands as proof that deaf people have always deserved full access to education leadership and the world stage.
FAQ
Who founded Gallaudet University? Gallaudet University was founded with support from Amos Kendall and led by Edward Miner Gallaudet. President Abraham Lincoln signed it into existence in 1864.
Is Gallaudet University only for deaf students? Gallaudet primarily serves deaf and hard of hearing students but hearing students may also enroll in certain programs. All students are expected to learn and use ASL.
What happened during the Deaf President Now protest? In 1988 students protested the appointment of a hearing president and shut down campus for a week until the board appointed Dr. I. King Jordan as the first deaf president of the university.