30 Years of Progress: Access, Opportunity and Inclusion

This year marks the 30th anniversary of President George H.W. Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. Throughout this 30th anniversary year, the Civil Rights Division is recognizing the many ways in which the ADA has transformed American society and enabled a generation of Americans with disabilities to thrive. At the same time, we recognize that many barriers to equal opportunity still remain. We recommit to our work of making the promise of the ADA a reality, enabling all Americans with disabilities to achieve their dreams and reach their full potential.

Celebrating the Impact of the ADA

Joint Statement by the Departments of Justice and Labor and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its Impact on the American Workforce -- July 31, 2020

Justice Beat Podcast; Episode 1: Furthering the Promise of the ADA: An Interview with Eric S. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights -- July 27, 2020

Statement of Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband on the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act -- July 24, 2020

Faces of the ADA

Since the passage of the ADA, the Civil Rights Division has been at the forefront of enforcing its protections and vindicating the rights of people with disabilities across the country. The Division works day in and day out to further the goals of the ADA — through mediation, technical assistance, outreach, and enforcement. At the core of many of our resolutions, however, is an individual or individuals with disabilities who brought a matter to our attention or participated in an investigation. With their permission, we've gathered some of those stories here.

30 Years of Access

A central focus of the Department's ADA enforcement efforts has been to increase physical accessibility for people with disabilities. In carrying out this important mandate, the Department has achieved resolutions in communities across the nation, improving physical accessibility in a wide range of buildings and facilities. We've included below a visual sampling of how the ADA has increased physical access in some of the Nation's iconic and important structures.

• 1990-2005
• 2006-2020