The theme of this national conference was empowerment. The focus was on the guidance, education, and training of African American deaf individuals to take control of their own lives and work for the empowerment of African-American deaf individuals in communities throughout the United States. Notably, this conference was a forerunner to "The Black Deaf Experience" conference in Atlanta in 1992. Included are papers by keynote speakers Dr. Glenn Anderson, director of training, University of Arkansas Rehabilitation, Research, and Training Center on Deafness; Dr. Oscar Cohen, executive director, Lexington School for the Deaf; and Dr. Sylvia Walker, director of the Center for the Study of Handicapped Children and Youth, Howard University, Washington, DC.
