• September 19, 2019, 3–5 p.m.

The Politics of Design in Chicago’s History of Disability Rights, 1940–1990

Featuring: Bess Williamson

Newberry Library

60 West Walton Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610


Bess Williamson (Associate Professor of Art History, Theory, and Criticism at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago) presents her paper "The Politics of Design in Chicago’s History of Disability Rights, 1940–1990.” In it, Williamson looks at the history of medical, design, and activist efforts to establish and improve design for disabled people in Chicago. Looking at a series of design efforts and collaborations, the paper tracks the shift in design discourse around access from charitable support to civil rights.

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