(Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series on the Americans with Disabilities Act 30th anniversary.) In the late 1980s, white cane in hand, I walked from my office in Manhattan to grab a burger for lunch at McDonald’s. “Sorry, ma’am,” the guy behind the counter said, “blind people can’t eat here.” After I said I wouldn’t leave until I was served, I was allowed to order.
The cheeseburger was delicious! But there wasn’t much I could do to hold McDonald’s legally accountable for its attempt to exclude me because of my disability.
Why am I telling you this story? Because, 30 years ago this month, life changed for people like me. On July 26, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law.