Deaf President Now! Movement

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The Deaf President Now! movement was a historical event at Gallaudet University in which the students staged a protest against the selection of a hearing president for Gallaudet. The campus was shut down for a week from March 6 to March 13, 1988. The deaf community had hoped that Gallaudet would select the first deaf president in the history of Gallaudet, but it did not happen. Instead, the Board of Trustees selected Dr. Elisabeth Ann Zinser as the 7^th president over two qualified deaf candidates, Dr. Harvey J. Corson and Dr. I. King Jordan. The selection upset the deaf community and the students led a protest. The deaf community made four demands: that Dr. Zinser resign from the presidency; Jane B. Spilman resign from the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees; the members of the Board of Trustees must consist a majority of 51% who are deaf; and no reprisals against the protesters. As the first week drew to an end, the demands were met and the deaf community won a victory. Dr. I. King Jordan was selected as the 8^th and first deaf president in Gallaudet’s history. Phil Bravin was selected as the first deaf chairman of the Board of Trustees. The protest made the world focus its attention on the deaf community for a week. The major newspapers across the United States made national headlines on the Gallaudet protest.