The ADA at 35: Still Fighting for Inclusion 

This blog post is chapter 1 in a four-part series reflecting on the legacy and significance of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Written by Yair Oded and Jesús Veliz; edited by Jennifer Mathis.

August 12, 2025 

Each year, the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) offers a powerful moment for reflection. Signed into law 35 years ago, this landmark legislation transformed the landscape of civil rights in the United States by extending legal protections to people with disabilities. It was the culmination of decades of relentless activism led by people with disabilities, and marked a monumental shift toward inclusion, equality, and justice.

The ADA is broad by design. It laid a sweeping framework that continues to apply as society confronts new challenges and considers what equal treatment and accessibility mean in new contexts. Whether it’s how emergency response systems accommodate people with disabilities, what meaningful access to employment and housing entails, or how accessibility is addressed in virtual spaces, the ADA remains the bedrock of disability rights law and advocacy in the U.S.

But even as we celebrate this progress, we must recognize that the promise of the ADA is still far from fully realized. The fight for equality is ongoing — not only to expand access, but to defend the rights already secured. Across the country, proposed policies threaten to roll back essential protections and undermine the goals of the ADA. Cuts to Medicaid, the imposition of punitive work requirements and other measures designed to trap people in red tape and remove their health coverage, and the underfunding of community-based services pose real dangers to people with disabilities, including those with mental health disabilities.

What’s more, these policy threats are compounded by persistent prejudice. Despite the ADA’s inclusive language, people with mental health disabilities continue to face systemic barriers. Deep-seated misconceptions — especially the harmful perception of individuals with mental disabilities as inherently “dangerous,” continues to fuel discriminatory and outdated responses. 

As we mark 35 years of the ADA, we must both honor its legacy and critically examine the gaps that remain in its enforcement. In this four-part series, we’ll explore how the ADA came to be, what it has achieved, the common misconceptions that hinder its implementation in some cases, and the strategies that move us closer to its full vision. 

THE PATH TO THE ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 did not emerge from a moment of political goodwill; it was the result of relentless organizing, civil disobedience, and community pressure. Before the ADA, people with disabilities, including those with psychiatric disabilities, were systematically excluded from public life, institutionalized, and denied employment, housing, and transportation. People with physical disabilities were frequently denied access to public sidewalks and buildings. 

A significant turning point came with the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which for the first time prohibited discrimination based on disability in programs receiving federal funds (and later, in federal agencies). But enforcement of Section 504 languished for a number of years until activists across the country mobilized in protest. The 1977 504 sit‑ins, led largely by survivors of institutions and activists, included the longest nonviolent occupation of a federal building in U.S. history. These actions forced the government to issue long‑delayed regulations and demonstrated that people with disabilities refused to be sidelined any longer.

The ADA built upon this legacy by broadening the scope of protections beyond federally funded programs to cover nearly all aspects of public life. On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on the White House lawn, surrounded by disability rights advocates, in a moment that marked one of the most significant civil rights victories of the 20th century. Its passage, backed by a broad bipartisan coalition in Congress, represented a formal acknowledgment that access to education, employment, transportation, public services, and public accommodations is not a privilege — but a civil right.

Join the Bazelon Center in marking the 35th anniversary of the ADA at our Annual Awards Reception, taking place Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from 6:30–9:00 PM ET at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Get your tickets and event details here.