Deaf President Now!: The 1988 Revolution at Gallaudet University [Hardcover]

John B. Christiansen (Author), Sharon N. Barnhartt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995

Deaf President Now! reveals the groundswell leading up to the history-making week in 1988 when the students at Gallaudet University seized the campus and closed it down until their demands were met. To research this probing study, the authors interviewed in-depth more than 50 of the principal players.

This telling book reveals the critical role played by a little-known group called the "Ducks," a tight-knit band of six alumni determined to see a deaf president at Gallaudet. Deaf President Now! details how they urged the student leaders to ultimate success, including an analysis of the reasons for their achievement in light of the failure of many other student movements. This fascinating study also scrutinizes the lasting effects of this remarkable episode in "the civil rights movement of the deaf." Deaf President Now! tells the full story of the insurrection at Gallaudet University, an exciting study of how deaf people won social change for themselves and all disabled people everywhere through a peaceful revolution.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Gallaudet University Press (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563680351
• ISBN-13: 978-1563680359
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,343,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing about them without them, February 1, 2005

By 

Robin Orlowski "political activist" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Deaf President Now!: The 1988 Revolution at Gallaudet University (Hardcover)

This book chronicles the events leading up to and the deaf president now revolution at Gallaudet University. As the world's only university for deaf and hard-of-hearing studentsm Gallaudet had revolutionary potential from inception.

When Dr. Jerry C. Lee announced that he was leaving the university, many students and faculty felt that this would be their year. Because the Gallaudet administration had consisted mainly of hearing people, these dissenters felt that they were being condescended to.

Not only was the sole hearing candidate Elizabeth Zinser picked, but critical snafus undercut her very brief administration. Then-board chair Jane Spilman allegedly said that 'deaf people are not able to function in a hearing world' ironically reinforcing the protestor cause. Zinser's academic training in rehabilitative sciences hinted at the 'medical model' of disability which many of the students found outmoded and problematic.

The students recieved national media attention, alumni (including the use of the alumni house as an organizing space) and Congressional support. He had initially given his own support to Zinser in an attempt to forge campus unity, but the other presidential candidate, I. King Jordan (then Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences) withdrew his support. Zinser subsequently announced her resignation. Jordan became Gallaudet's first deaf president.

The DPN is an inspiring saga for anybody (particularly college students attempting to create their own campus chage). The actions of Gallaudet students later inspired me to challenge patronizing assumptions being made about my own community.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a MUST HAVE for any Occupation's library (People's Library) and should be read by all Occupiers, November 24, 2011

By 

K. Harkins (Washington DC area, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Deaf President Now! The 1988 Revolution at Gallaudet University (Paperback)

I am donating this copy to the People's Library of OccupyDC. Since I am in a hurry to do so I was not able to engross myself in it as fully as possible right now but it is going on my wish list so I can have my own copy to read. Much of it parallels why it would be ideal for a movement to change things:

- The relevant history and why this action was taken.
- An occupation with tents. Sound familiar?
- Accomplishing something people did not think was possible (students changing who would be the university president).
- Plenty of documentation - pictures of events, buttons, and such.
- Day-by-day account of what went on.
- Unique actions that grew the movement.
- That violence to quell protesters is completely the wrong move.
- Interactions with police.
- The progress towards it eventually succeededing.
- An analysis of why/how a protest can succeed using DPN as an example.
- What happened later after the direct request was met.

Overall, an excellent analysis of how a movement can work.

I am kicking myself now for not buying an extra copy when I bought this one to donate as now I need to wait for a copy of my own.