35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
COLLEGE STATION, July 25, 2025 – The George Bush Presidential Library & Museum and the George & Barbara Bush Foundation proudly commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990.
This landmark legislation—championed with President Bush’s signature bipartisan leadership—marked a turning point in the nation’s commitment to civil rights. After decades of advocacy from the disability community, President Bush helped ensure equal access, opportunity, and dignity for millions of Americans. At the signing ceremony, he declared, “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.”
Lex Frieden, a chief architect of the ADA, stated, “The ADA was to us like the Emancipation Proclamation. It was our Bill of Rights. When President Bush signed the ADA, he validated our citizenship and assured our right to equal opportunity.”
Since that historic moment, the ADA has transformed lives, workplaces, and communities across the country, laying a foundation for a more inclusive society.
To increase accessibility to the archival collection, the Bush Library has processed and digitized the Lex Frieden Collection. Frieden has spent his career as an advocate for disability rights and is a major figure in the development and passing of the ADA. As Executive Director of the National Council on Disability, Frieden oversaw the writing of the first drafts that would become this monumental law. He donated his collection of correspondence, campaign materials, conference materials, grant proposals, legislation, notes, papers, printed material, reports, speeches, and audio-visual material over several years, beginning in 2014. These records relate to development of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) proposal, lobbying efforts immediately preceding passage of the ADA, implementation efforts following passage of the law, international initiatives at the UN and abroad, the ADA Amendments Act (passed during the George W. Bush administration), and efforts by various organizations advocating for disability rights and promoting public awareness. The collection includes significant papers related to the independent living movement by people with disabilities which began in the US after the Vietnam conflict and directly led to the passage of the ADA. Also included are records related to Frieden’s various domestic and international efforts as a disability rights activist. The textural materials are available now on the National Archives and Records Administration's online catalog (catalog.archives.gov). The digitization of the audiovisual records is expected during the next calendar year.
*Textual records of Lex Frieden's donated collection, collection ID: GB-LFC, can be found here.
A video created by the George Bush Presidential Library & Museum and the George & Barbara Bush Foundation honoring the 35th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act, can be found below.
The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum is grateful for the generous support of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation in sponsoring these digitization efforts.
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Media contact: Amy Raines, 979-691-4069, amy.raines@nara.gov
About:
George Bush Presidential Library & Museum
The George Bush Presidential Library & Museum is part of the National Archives and Records Administration. The Bush Library & Museum is located on the campus of Texas A&M University, at 1000 George Bush Drive West, College Station, TX, 77845. With captivating exhibits, impressive community programs, and innovative school curricula, the Bush Library & Museum offers exciting educational opportunities for learners of all ages! In addition to the permanent exhibition galleries, the museum features temporary exhibits on a variety of topics, providing repeat guests with a new experience every time.
George & Barbara Bush Foundation
The George & Barbara Bush Foundation strives to preserve the historic legacies of President and Mrs. Bush, primarily by supporting and promoting education and service-oriented programs at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum and The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University. The George H.W. Bush Presidential Center creates unique and life-changing opportunities that bring together and connect world leaders, students, public policy experts, business executives, and current officeholders. More at www.georgeandbarbarabush.org.