New consortium to focus on disability history of Western Pa.
The Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium has been established to preserve and honor the struggle of Western Pennsylvanians with disabilities to attain human and civil rights.
Founding members of the consortium include the Senator John Heinz History Center, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Three Rivers Center for Independent Living, ACHIEVA, Tri-county Patriots for Independent Living in Washington County, Polk Center in Venango County, Community Living and Support Services, National Alliance on Mental Illness – Southwestern Pennsylvania, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and the Pennsylvania History Coalition Honoring People with Disability.
Western Pennsylvania is home to a significant amount of disability history. The region has a strong record of grassroots advocacy to ensure public education, transportation and other services, and to end the segregation of people with disabilities in the region’s state-run institutions. While most of those institutions are now closed, one of them – Polk State School and Hospital in Venango County – remains one of the most intact campuses of its kind in the nation and still operates with about 200 residents.
The consortium will host exhibits and forums that promote community dialogue, and provide curricula for schools. Among its initial projects are establishing an inventory of the collections, documents, artifacts and oral histories that exist in western Pennsylvania and a searchable resource for educators, museum professionals, scholars and the public.
Individuals or organizations interested in joining the consortium or providing information should contact John L. TagueJr., project director, at 412-952-5402 or jtaguejr@aol.com.