Groundbreaking exhibition charts "History Through Deaf Eyes"

"History Through Deaf Eyes" aligns nearly 200 years of American history with the experiences of deaf people. Using objects and images collected by individuals, organizations, and schools for deaf children, this exhibition illustrates the shared experiences of family life, education, and work--as well as the divergent ways deaf people see themselves, communicate, employ and adapt technology, and determine their own futures.

"Deaf Eyes," which will be on view at the Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library (March 3-April 17) before taking up permanent residence at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C., enjoyed a successful showing at The Smithsonian Institution and is the subject of an upcoming documentary on PBS. The exhibition is divided into several sections:

Community Formation. Beginning in the early 1800s, social and economic conditions and a religious determination that deaf individuals should not be excluded from teaching led to the founding of schools for deaf students. As these individuals gathered together, they developed an important set of shared experiences.

Language and Identity. While the schools fostered a language that grew out of the communal interaction of individuals who communicated via sign and sight, the general society emphasized the importance of voice and hearing, resulting in a tension between some deaf individuals and the hearing world as well as within the deaf community itself.

Community Building. Lifetime friendships forged in the residential schools led to communities of educated deaf adults who formed their own organizations. These included local clubs, national advocacy organizations, and school, community, and national sports groups. These organizations in turn enriched the deaf community and enabled deaf individuals to express their citizenship in lives devoted to labor and support for their country.

Awareness, Access, and Change. The civil rights movement inspired a nation to respect all of its diverse communities and individuals within these communities to press for greater access and respect. At the same time, technological innovations promised greater ease of participation and access.

"Deaf people in America began to develop their own distinct language and culture two centuries ago. They are unique as a minority group, in some ways similar to other people with disabilities, in others more like an ethnic group," notes Doug Baynton, associate professor of history and American Sign Language, University of Iowa, Iowa City, who was a principal researcher and writer for the exhibit when it was on view at UI's Hardin Library in 2005.

"Since the early 19th century, deaf people have created organizations and associations, a periodical press, an oral literature handed down over generations, and a value system distinct from that of hearing Americans. At the same time, the existence of this community has generated fierce controversy.

"The exhibit," he concludes, "has a fascinating story to tell."

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