Mobility

The disability civil rights movement had to not only overcome prejudice, but also physical barriers that limit access to employment and inclusion in other aspects of daily life.

Activists successfully lobbied for laws that required curb-cuts, ramps, and buses with wheelchair lifts. This in turn increased the possibility of economic and social mobility. In the 1970s and 1980s, a growing population of consumers with mobility impairments fueled demand for wheelchairs and scooters to match their active lives. At the same time, barrier-free designs have brought a new aesthetic to public spaces.