Christiansen, John F., and Sharon N. Barnartt. Deaf
President Now! The 1988 Revolution at Gallaudet University. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 1995.
This account details the Deaf Civil
Rights Movement that occurred at Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts
college for the Deaf in the world, in 1988. For 124 years, the president of
Gallaudet University had been a hearing person. When a hearing women, who had
never worked with the Deaf, was elected by the Board of Directors to be the
next president of Gallaudet, the students protested and demanded a Deaf
president NOW! There is also a film, available through www.dcara.org, by the same title.
Gannon,
Jack, Beatty Jeff, and Chun Louie. The Week The World Heard Gallaudet.
Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 1989.
Like
Deaf President Now!, this book gives an account of the Deaf Civil Rights
Movement. This account was published within months of the actual event. It
includes black and white pictures.
History
Through Deaf Eyes. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
There
are several components to History Through Deaf Eyes. It is a book for
students that has accompanying posters and a teacher's guide. There is even a
traveling exhibit that can come to your school! The book covers from the early
1800's through the present.
Holcomb,
Roy et al. Deaf Culture, Our Way: Antidotes From the Deaf Community. San
Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1996.
A small, square-shaped book that is easy to read, but is
filled with insights into Deaf humor and life. This book contains some of the
most commonly shared jokes from the culture, including the honeymoon story, the
Deaf cop story, and the TTY/Telephone Line joke. It also includes answers to
questions about everyday life like, "Can a Deaf person use a drive-thru?" and
"How does a Deaf person know if the fan is on above the stove?"
Kelley, Walter Paul. Deaf Culture A to Z. Austin: Buto Ltd, 2003.
This is an alphabet book with
fantastic pictures and detailed written descriptions of the cultural element
being discussed. Both the author and illustrator are Deaf (Deaf with a capital
"D" indicates aligning oneself with the Deaf culture rather than the medical
condition of deafness, which is denoted by a lower case "d"). This is a fun way
to discuss a serious topic.
Lane
et al. A Journey into the Deaf World. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1996.
This book has lovingly been called
the "bible" of the Deaf world. It is as close to an encyclopedia on Deaf
culture and history as one can get. It discusses everything from language
conventions, to Deaf social clubs, and whether deafness is a disability or not.
A must read for reports on Deaf culture!
Padden,
Carol and Tom Humphries. Deaf In America: Voices From A Culture.
Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988.
Written
by Deaf authors, the book shares the experiences of growing up Deaf and feeling
as though one is living in someone else's world. It also discusses discovering
the Deaf community.
Wilcox,
Sherman, ed. American
Deaf Culture. Maryland: Linstok Press, 1989.
An
anthology of articles whose theme is on living in and experiencing the Deaf
Culture in the United States. The anthology is comprised of 19 articles, mostly
written by individuals seen by the Deaf community as the most highly educated
Deaf scholars living in the United States at this time: Carol Padden, Ben
bahan, Barbara Kannapell, William Stokoe (who has now passed away), and Tom
Humphries.
Famous
Deaf People
Eastman,
Gilbert. Sign
Me Alice & Laurent Clerc: A
Profile/Two Deaf Plays. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1997.
Written
specifically for a young adult audience, the book can be read as either aninformation
text profiling Alice Cogswell and Laurent Clerc, or as a play. Alice was the
young girl who inspired Mr. Gallaudet to build his university and Laurent Clerc
was her teacher, brought all the way to Washington, DC, from France.
Keller,
Helen. The Story of My Life: The Restored Edition. New York: Random House, 2004.
Originally published in 1903, this is the story of Hellen
Keller who became both deaf and blind as a child, but went on to be an astute
and gifted writer and speaker. She
credits her teacher Anne Sullivan. There are many film renditions of the
autobiography.
Mather,
Susan M., and Cathyrn Carroll. Movers & Shakers: Deaf People Who Changed
the World. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1997.
A
collection of 26 biographies of the most well-known Deaf historical figures, it
contains a story for everyone. The stories encompass themes ranging from sports
to racism to education.
Wheeler,
Jill C. Heather Whitestone: Miss America with a Mission. Minnesota: ABDO
Publishing 1996.
This book was also written with the young adult reader in
mind. The book is a biography of the one and only Deaf winner of the Miss
America pageant.
Winning
Sounds Like This: A Season with the Women's Basketball Team at Gallaudet, the
World's Only University for the Deaf. New York: Crown Publishing,
2003.
This
will entice the sports fans in your class. The book follows the team on their
journey to becoming champions and highlights an interview in which a reporter
asked how a team that was deaf, which obviously could not hear their coach's
voice nor the whistle could be such a cohesive unit and win a championship
against a hearing team.
Magazines
World
Around You. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This magazine is aimed at the Deaf young adults. It's contributors
are Deaf young adults themselves. The magazine includes discussions on topics
relevant to young adults - social concerns, fitting in with hearing aids, etc -
but also provides writing contests, factual information on the Deaf culture,
discussions of hot topics -politics - and has articles written by successful
Deaf adults. World Around You
is available in print from the Laurent Clerc Center at Gallaudet University. It
is free if requested by teachers for their classroom. There is a teacher's
guide. Visit www.gallaudet.edu and
click on Laurent Clerc Center to sign up!
Films
History
Through Deaf Eyes. WETA, Washington, DC, Florentine Films, and Gallaudet
Universit, 2002.
This
movie would accompany the History Through Deaf Eyes text as described
above.
Sound
& Fury. Josh Aronson and Roger Weisberg. DVD. New Video Group, 2002.
Though the name of the movie reminds
us of a well-known, classical text, this is a documentary centering on the
debate over cochlear implants. The documentary lets the viewer form their own
opinions as it follows two families trying to make the decision about whether
to implant their child or not. Likewise, it shows what is happen in and to the
Deaf community in terms of cochlear implants.