Accessible America, by Bess WIlliamson

If you were born in the 1970s or later, you probably have little memory of a world without curb cuts, parking spots designated for disabled people, and other accommodations the world makes for people with disabilities.  In Accessible America: A History of Disability and Design, Bess Williamson writes about the huge changes in architecture, design, and consumer goods that have made life easier for people with disabilities--and the rest of us.

Williamson attributes the earliest public accommodations in public spaces to the return of veterans with disabilities after WW2.  During this era, development of prosthetic limbs, adaptive automobiles, and other innovations took off, by both large companies and the consumers themselves.  Polio victims also took an active role in growing mobility. 

Institutionally, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was an early leader in rehabilitation, installing ramps around campus and assisting veterans and others to learn skills toward independence.  On the other side of the country, activists at the University of California at Berkeley, embracing the activism rampant on campus, developed a community of disabled students, taking strides toward full integration into campus life.

One theme that runs throughout the book and discussions of design for disability is that when we design things to be more accessible to people with disabilities, they become more accessible to all.  One designer, who dressed as a older woman, making observations around her community, talked about designing with disabled or marginalized people in mind.  She said "by designing with the needs of older consumers in mind, we will find that the inevitable result is better products for all of us."  Examples provided include lever-style door knobs and kitchen appliances and tools with easy-to-grip handles or large buttons.  I would add, in the same vein, that curb cuts are certainly a benefit to kids on bikes and parents pushing baby strollers.

Willliamson presents an interesting perspective on the history of disability.  Disabled and "temporarily able-bodied" alike can appreciate the great strides architecture and design have taken over the last century. 


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!