In a very informative 2007 McClatchy article, Frank Greve reported on the universal benefit of curb ramps since the ADA and unearths forgotten history of Berkeley’s early curb cuts. Including the yarn about midnight contractors cutting curbs in the dead of night.
In the article, Michael Pachovas, a longtime disability activist who moved to Berkeley in 1972, revelas that clandestine ramping occurred after poker games between early CIL founders and attendants.
Greve, Frank. “Curb Ramps Liberate Americans with Disabilities and Everyone Else.” McThatchy Newspapers, January 31, 2007.
In a watershed moment, Ed Roberts became the first student with a severe disability to attend Berkeley
In its use of the term "crip," the landmark book Design for Independent Living captures the ethos of a revolution
A synthetic account of Berkeley's disability rights revolution, with the CIL at its center
A British documentary crew visited Berkeley to capture the story of the disability rights movement
To legendary disabled playwright Neil Marcus, ramping was only the beginning
A landmark piece of federal access legislation -- though one with big loopholes
Hale Zukas recalls the first official curb cuts in Berkeley — and his role in designing them
For Hale Zukas, building ramps out of plywood and duct tape was just the beginning
A plan, devised by Ruth Grimes and others, to make South Berkeley and downtown accessible
In a win for the CIL, Berkeley mandated construction on Telegraph Ave's first wheelchair-accessible route
In response to dismal federal access compliance, U.S. government creates an enforcement board
Berkeley Planning Commission: "Because the physically handicapped have little political power..."
Planning commission changes its tune, recognizes need for a specific disability program with action-oriented goals
Four disability rights activists celebrate victory by rolling over an "official" curb cut
The newly created federal Access Board acknowledged the model of the CIL in its first report
To make private housing more accessible, Eric Dibner drew up ramp plans for the greater community
Hale, a Berkeley icon, goes to work in Washington's federal Access Board
Phil Draper, co-founder of the Center for Independent Living, on curb cuts and the spirit of Telegraph
A disability rights artist and activist illustrates the era's lively momentum
A fine documentary film on Lifchez and Winslow's design studio course, featuring its consultants and students
An early experience that set Ray on the path of rethinking design
Ray Lifchez spent five years working as an architect for state institutions, like Manhattan Psychiatric Facility
In the revolutionary design studio, Peter Trier helps students confront stereotypes about disability
On a sunny day, Ray Lifchez and students actively listen to disabled consultant's POV
An environmental audit revealed that virtually all common routes on Berkeley's campus were inaccessible
The 1000-page report was the first campus environmental survey of its kind
A clipping from a seminal text illustrates shift towards architecture as a social art
In Lifchez's ARCH101, students designed accessible structures in real world settings
A pilot edition of a campus access guide
A quirky accessibility guide demonstrates human-centered design with panache
An overview of this radical design manual and ethnographic study of Berkeley's crip culture
An advanced thinker reflecting on the terms of Berkeley's disability culture
An image, courtesy of Jane Scherr, of the thrill of ecstatic wheelchair movement
A colorful two-dimensional collage was a crucial step towards understanding a client's needs
Embossed leather details turn an adaptive device into a fashion statement
In its use of the term "crip," the landmark book Design for Independent Living captures the ethos of a revolution
Mary Anne arrived to Berkeley with a dream, in the end she soared
A collection of photos depicting behind-the-scenes looks at the everyday lives of people with disabilities thriving in Berkeley
A family radiates positive energy while posing for a snapshot
A local Berkeley disability rights activist captured in moment of glee
A man reads a local Berkeley newspaper on a sun-filled morning
An unidentified student caught in a playful moment on Berkeley's green
An action shot mid-throw
A remarkable survey of the accessibility of Telegraph's businesses — complete with beautiful illustrations and smart solutions
A co-founder and director of CIL cruises America's most accessible street
What worked with the first curb cuts wasn't going to work now...
A Japanese CIL intern compared the US and Japanese experience of disability
To legendary disabled playwright Neil Marcus, ramping was only the beginning
Phil Draper, co-founder of the Center for Independent Living, on curb cuts and the spirit of Telegraph
A disability rights activist on the guerrilla actions taken, and not taken, to make curb cuts in Berkeley
A historic intersection remembered as the site of experimental ramping by two access revolutionaries
The impetus to build their own curb cuts sparked during a weekly poker game
A tweet brings the disability narrative of sledgehammer wielding activists into 21st century
