Dr. Sylvia Walker - A Guiding Light
Disability history would be incomplete without delving into academia and policy development. These figures are often unknown by name, though their work permeates through every corner of society. Today's post is about Dr. Sylvia Walker, an extremely accomplished researcher and policy advocate. She was influential in forming the Americans with Disabilities Act and advised President Clinton on employment policies. She used her delightful blend of intelligence and humor to change the lives of people of color with disabilities.
Sylvia, undated
Sylvia Walker was born on July 18, 1937 in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City. This was a predominately Jewish area at the time, while Sylvia was born into one of the few Black households in the neighborhood. She was adopted as an infant and never knew her birth mother. She described her adoptive mother as the "dominant nurturing influence" in her life. Sylvia partially credited her adoption for her desire to achieve in difficult circumstances: "I think part of it might go back to the fact that I wasn't cared for by my [biological] parent and I see myself as being very fortunate that I was cared for, that I did survive - whether it is in an academic setting or just in life."
Sylvia was born with a visual impairment that progressed throughout her life. Because her family was low-income, they were unable to afford a pair of glasses for her until she was in the fifth grade. Before then, she would have to sit in the front of the classroom to see the blackboard and hold things up close to her face to read. She later remembered, "I did have difficulty reading and I think that was related to not seeing well." Sylvia was frustrated at the lack of support in school; a 1990 article wrote, "The combination of having poor eyesight, being Black, being poor and being female meant that in elementary school she constantly had to deal with teachers' low expectations of her capabilities."
Once in high school, Sylvia was placed in a "special program for slow readers." With this support, she completely turned around in her education: by her sophomore year, she could read well enough to be placed in an advanced English class. She was determined to obtain higher degrees beyond high school, but was unable to afford college. She worked for five years in a tool factory then an office to earn enough to enroll in college in 1960. Because she had to continue working, it took her seven years to earn her degree: a Bachelor of Arts from Queens College in education, early childhood, and social science.
Sylvia was encouraged by others to continue her education, praising her "outstanding abilities." She said that "other people have provided me with support and encouragement. I've had some extreme opportunities, quite frankly." She earned a Master's degree in "education of the physically handicapped" from Hunter College, followed by a Master's in "instructional practices - administration and supervision" and a doctorate in "education of crippled and other health impaired persons" from Columbia University. Her doctoral dissertation was about disability in Ghana, to where she had traveled four times in the 1970s. Sylvia described this research as "combining [her] specialization in administration and the education of persons with disabilities with [her] knowledge of comparative and international education." During her career, she held several training programs and research trips throughout South America and Africa.
Throughout all of these achievements, Sylvia's vision continued to decline. By her early 40s, she was considered legally blind: she had "no vision" in her left eye and "minimal vision" in her right. She coped using the tools available, such as magnifying devices and large print. She dictated most of her papers, letters, and proposals. Her secretary marked where to sign letters with paper clips. Sylvia even had help from a neighbor, asking her for advice on her outfits so the colors wouldn't clash. When presenting at conferences, she asked participants to stand up to be acknowledged, as she couldn't see raised hands. Sylvia commented in 1990 that what kept her going was her "strong faith" and "strong will." She said, "I do have a lot of tenacity. I've often been surprised by it myself."
Once Sylvia had earned all of these credentials, she became a professor. She taught at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Hunter College, then Howard University. It was here that she flourished, beginning right when she joined the faculty in 1978 at the age of 41. Sylvia later said in an interview, "I think I've tried to really just give back some of the things that have come to me." She founded the Center for the Study of Handicapped Children and Youth (later the Howard University Center for Disability and Socioeconomic Policy Studies), the first federal research and training center focused on minority issues. Sylvia also served as the chairman of the Department of PsychoEducational Studies at Howard. She became a Professor Emeritus in their School of Education and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Sylvia was, at her core, a disability-rights activist. For instance, she advocated for people-first language beginning in the late 1980s. Her research centered on people of color with disabilities. She argued that race is an important factor when meeting their needs. The independent living movement of the 1960s and 70s failed to include Black disability rights activists and pushed for a singular disabled identity without incorporating specific issues facing disabled people of color.
During her time at Howard, Sylvia won multiple research grants. These include $270,000 (over $700,000 in 2023) for the "Howard University Model to Prepare Teachers of Minority and Bilingual/Bicultural Handicapped Children" and $500,000 (over $1.3 million in 2023) for the "Howard University Model to Improve Rehabilitation and Services for Minority Persons with Handicapping Conditions." She wryly confessed to an interviewer once that she had a weakness for long titles. Sylvia often poked "gentle fun" at herself, once commenting that, "I always quote and I do identify with people like David and Moses, people others may have seen as weak and not able, but whom God selects and gives what they need to do what He needs done. I think it's part of what I call my Messiah complex."
In 1988, Sylvia became director of the brand new Howard University Research and Training Center (HURTC), funded by a $2.2 million (almost $6 million in 2023) grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. This center focused on working with disabled minorities, as they made up (and still do) a significant percentage of the total American disabled population but were (and still are) extremely under-served, such as Sylvia was as a child. The mission of the HURTC was focused "on the needs of persons who are outside the mainstream in order to give them equal access to opportunity" and "to develop every individual to his or her fullest potential." The center viewed itself "as a catalyst for bringing attention the the needs of people with disabilities from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds."
Charles Asbury, Sylvia, & Satwant Kaur planning for the HURTC, 1990
Sylvia summarized the work of the HUTRC into four categories: the specific needs of disabled people of color; reducing barriers for people of color in healthcare, education, and rehabilitation; self-advocacy, career-training, and employment opportunities; and training people of color to begin their own careers in healthcare, rehabilitation, or education. The Center also focused on improving mental health and reducing youth suicide (their Youth Jobs Corps program gave every teenager a psychological evaluation). And, along with everything else, they conducted employment research to inform Congress on policy decisions. All of these years of work contributed to the drafting and passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. This is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on ability, requires employers to provide accommodations to employees with disabilities, and creates accessibility requirements for public spaces.
Sylvia co-founded the American Association of People with Disabilities in 1995 with Bob Dole and Justin Dart Jr. She had served on the subcommittee on employee disability concerns since 1987 and been its chair since 1992. Because of her experience President Clinton appointed her and Ronald W. Drach as vice-chairs of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities in May 1995. This committee "provides information, training and technical assistance to America's business leaders, organized labor, rehabilitation and service providers, advocacy organizations, families and individuals with disabilities." It became the Office of Disability Employment Policy in 2001. Jay Rochlin, a former executive director of this committee, observed that Sylvia was "known nationally and is highly regarded and respected."
Jay Rochlin & Sylvia presenting an award to Thomas McKeithan, 1990
In 2000, Sylvia received the Keeper of the Flame Award from the NAACP in honor of her work with Black disabled youth. She died in New York City on February 6, 2004, at the age of 66, due to "health complications." Her family asked that contributions be sent to the Walker-Thomas Fund, a fund established by Sylvia to support the development of leadership among young people with disabilities.
An unimportant accomplishment of Sylvia's is that she produced one of my new favorite quotes of all time: "Ask not for a lighter burden, but for strength to carry that which you bear. If you only ask to be relieved of problems, then you will not grow stronger. If you ask to become stronger as you bear the things you're confronted with, then you'll be stronger and then you also can reach down and bring someone up."
Most sincerely,
ChristinaWorks in which Sylvia was involved:
"Expanding Opportunities for People with Disabilities" New Directions Summer 1990- an extensive interview about Sylvia's work with the HURTC and her research
Furthering the Goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act Through Disability Policy Research in the 1990s: Summary of Proceeding, Washington, D.C., December 7-9, 1992 - features a few summaries of her presentations & research
"American Association of People with Disabilities" Ability Magazine August 1995 - an article describing the founding and aims of the AAPD
Howard University Research and Training Center 1995 Sourcebook for Access to Multicultural Federal Programs - a publication by the HURTC to help other organizations access federal offices and resources that can help in working with under-served populations
"The Howard University Research and Training Center: A Unique Resource" American Rehabilitation Spring 1996 - an article by Sylvia summarizing the history, research, and programs of the HURTC
Works Consulted
Celebrating the Lasting Legacy of Black Disability Advocates. (2021, February 24). The Independence Center. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.theindependencecenter.org/black-disability-advocates/
Dr. Sylvia Walker: Advocating Race & Disability Rights. (2022, February 25). Vault Consulting. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://vaultconsulting.com/blog/advocating-race-and-disability-rights/
Erkulwater, J. L. (2018). How the Nation’s Largest Minority Became White: Race Politics and the Disability Rights Movement, 1970–1980. Journal of Policy History, 30(3), 367–399. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0898030618000143
Jackson Scarupa, H. (1990). Expanding Opportunities For People with Disabilities. New Directions, 17(3), 6–13. https://dh.howard.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1564&context=newdirections
Klafter, J. (2023, March 9). Black History Month: Uplifting Disabled Black Americans. B’nai Jeshurun. https://bj.org/black-history-month-uplifting-disabled-black-americans-6/
Martin, R. (2016, February 7). Sylvia Walker: A Champion for Disability Rights. WeCo Digital Accessibility. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://theweco.com/sylvia-walker-a-champion-for-disability-rights/
Mwatuangi. (2020, February 23). Black Disability History, Vol. II: Reclaiming The Black Disabled Experience. Medium. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://medium.com/afrosapiophile/black-disability-history-vol-ii-reclaiming-the-black-disabled-experience-37e3864cef52
PRESIDENT NAMES RONALD W. DRACH AND DR. SYLVIA WALKER TO THE PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. (1995, May 1). Clinton White House Archives. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://clintonwhitehouse6.archives.gov/1995/05/1995-05-01-two-named-to-disabilities-employment-committee.html
Sylvia Walker: A Champion for Disability Rights. (2021, February 16). RCM of Washington, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.revitalcommembership.com/2021/02/sylvia-walker-champion-for-disability.html?m=0
Walker, Dr. Sylvia. (2004, February 11). The Washington Post. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/washingtonpost/1917727
Wohl, L., & Rosenthal, S. (2021, February 16). Black History Month: Uplifting Disabled Black Americans. B’nai Jeshurun. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://bj.org/black-history-month-uplifting-disabled-black-americans-6/
Last Updated: 29 Sept. 2023
