National Deaf History Month is celebrated March 13th to April 15th each year to commemorate the achievements of people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
This timeframe was chosen to signify significant milestones in deaf education history, including:
- The opening of the first public school for the deaf on April 15, 1817.
- The founding of Gallaudet University on April 8, 1864. The school’s mission was to advance visual learning, language, social justice, and full rights for students with hearing impairments.
- The appointment of Gallaudet University’s first deaf president on March 13, 1988.
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) introduced National Deaf History Month in 1997, and since 2006, the American Library Association has partnered with NAD to support and raise awareness about this celebration. Although there have been ongoing advocacy efforts, Congress has not officially designated any part of National Deaf History Month as a federally recognized holiday.
St. Louis Celebrates Deaf History Month
- March 15th – April 20th – 5th Annual 1904 Deaf Film Festival
- April 20th from 10:00am to 4:00pm at St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley – Deaf Visual Arts Festival
- April 18th at 6:00pm at the DEAF, Inc Community Room, Wine, Sign, & Art