Ben Waber reviewed A disability history of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen (Revisioning American history)
A Focused, Devastating History of the US
4 stars
Nielsen pulls together threads that are peripheral in other books about US history, focusing on the evolving concept of disability and how the treatment of people with disabilities changed over the centuries. Starting with Native American norms, moving through the horrific period of slavery and the inextricable links with disability, and continuing into the modern day, Nielsen shows how far we've come and how far we've yet to go. The importance of war in changing norms around disability was particularly interesting. Highly recommend
Nielsen pulls together threads that are peripheral in other books about US history, focusing on the evolving concept of disability and how the treatment of people with disabilities changed over the centuries. Starting with Native American norms, moving through the horrific period of slavery and the inextricable links with disability, and continuing into the modern day, Nielsen shows how far we've come and how far we've yet to go. The importance of war in changing norms around disability was particularly interesting. Highly recommend