April is often known as the month in which Easter occurs. There is, though, also April Fools’, the Frozen Four for those hockey fans, and the less enjoyable Tax Day. Something else April holds that many may not know about is National Deaf History Month. It has spanned the entirety of April since 2022 when NAD, the National Association of the Deaf, set the updated dates to April 1-30. April is a significant month for this as on April 15, 1817, the first school for the deaf was built and then on April 8, 1864, Gallaudet University was chartered, a university specializing for the deaf and hard of hearing.
During this month the history and culture of hard of hearing and deaf individuals and communities gets highlighted and honored. Those milestones in education, as mentioned, are recognized and celebrated as well as the achievements of many individuals. There is Derrick Coleman, who was the first legally deaf NFL player. Marlee Matlin who was the first deaf actress to win an Oscar. Ludwig Van Beethoven, who most have heard of, was an amazing pianist and composer, despite becoming deaf by the time he was 45. Nyle DiMarco, a successful model, actor, and activist who has done many incredible things professionally and for the overall community. These are just four people out of many that deserve to be recognized for the work they have done and the successes they have had.
For those who are not a part of the deaf community, this month is a good time to better understand and uplift those who are. One way to do this is to learn a bit more about the history of deaf and hard of hearing individuals and communities, civil rights, systemic barriers, culture and language. Another option is to engage with activists, creators or educators. There are many books, but to name a few: “Girl at War” or “True Biz” by Sara Nović, “The Whispering Dark” by Kelly Andrew, and “Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law” by Haben Girma.
If books are not the medium of choice, there is also art and music. Mandy Harvey is a deaf jazz and pop singer/songwriter with multiple albums to her name, the most recent being “Paper Cuts” released in 2022. Warren “Wawa” Snipe is a rapper and hip-hop artist who has also dipped his toes into the acting world. Christine Sun Kim is an artist who utilizes sound, American Sign Language, paintings and drawings in her work. Adrean Clark is a visual artist who makes comics and zines as well as an author and illustrator with several published books. Again, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and there are many more talented individuals out there in addition to these folks.
A further step in all this would be to begin learning ASL. It may feel like a daunting task, but even just a sign or two a day can go a long way. UND offers ASL courses as well if anyone is looking for a class to take in the coming semesters. Or there is a course available through ed2go which is self-paced and online. In addition to these, there is also an Introduction to Deaf Culture course, and the Chester Fritz Library linguistics research guides have some manuals and tools for learning more.
Whichever way you choose to engage this month, hopefully you leave April with a deeper understanding of deaf history and culture.
Ed Tortorelli is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at [email protected].
