Wheelchair Accessibility: The Country’s First Disability Rights Museum

Though it is a sad truth, historically, people with disabilities were treated as secondary citizens.  Thanks to the dedicated efforts of many, the rights of people with mobility impairment in the western world have grown – gaining respect and earning the support and defense of people nationwide.

Increased Wheelchair Accessibility

The development of these rights and the increase in wheelchair accessibility that comes along with it is what Van Products strives for in providing wheelchair accessible vans, and we are excited to announce that the country’s first disability rights museum is being build to honor those changes from the past!

In downtown Birmingham, Alabama, a museum is planned that will be dedicated to honoring and preserving the rights of people with disabilities.

While all sorts of memorabilia will be displayed in the museum, particular focus will be on the individuals that on a local, state or national level that have had important roles in the advancement of the rights of the mobility impaired community. These people will not just be featured sporadically in the many exhibitions, but they will also be permanently honored in a memorial garden that is to be a part of the museum.

Support for the Wheelchair Community

The initiative for the museum, the first of its kind, should be attributed to the Independent Living Resources of Greater Birmingham [http://www.ilrgb.org/] organization. Much like Van Products philosophy of building up the wheelchair community in North Carolina, the ILRGM claim that community is the key to empowerment and happiness, and to mirror this statement all ILRGB’s services for encourage wheelchair community-based support.

The ILRGB plays a role in speaking up for equal access and disability rights through advocacy and public awareness activities. While the museum is a less direct approach to the same end, because of the worthwhile role it will play in remembering history, it will undoubtedly draw visitors who are passionate about this great cause.  Hopefully, it will inform people about the realities faced and the challenges overcome in the wheelchair community.

Share Your Story

Have a story to tell? Share your story with us! At Van Products, our goal is to serve the handicapped community better, whether by sharing stories of encouragement or more easily offering wheelchair accessible vans, we want to cater to you. Drop us a note!