Walking Alone and Marching Together: A History of the Organized Blind Movement in the United States, 1940-1990

by Floyd Matson

Walking Alone and Marching A History of the Organized Blind Movement in the United States, 1940-1990

Genres: Nonfiction

1116 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1990

Reviews

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the blind movement in the United States from the view of the National Federation of the Blind. More of a hsitory textbook than a light read but very detailed in laying out the facts of the blind movement, what their goals were and how they achieved their goals. Not afraid of being labelled "militant," the NFB seeks to make sure that the blind are given the opportunity to compete and not just written off. The foundation's leader, Jacobus tenBroek's Equal Protection Analysis was used by those seeking Equal Rights for Blacks and the blind see themselves as creating their own civil rights movement. For a group that has been denied jobs, children taken away, denied housing, tickets on airplanes, opportunity for jury duty and even minimum wage it is all about civil rights. At one point there was a court case so the blind could freely walk on the sidewalk in one city. The NFB is not afraid to go to court and it is only by going to court that they have been allowed to do many of the things sighted people take for granted as rights.

Those who have denied these opportunities have taken a custodial view as they can't see themselves as being blind. In fact this is the number one fear of people and because they can't imagine how they would function as a blind person they don't see how others can. With training it can be done and very successfully as Dr.tenBroek and others have shown. The number one fear for blind people is that sighted people will try to exercise custodial care and not allow them a say in their future.

The book can get tedious with lots of speeches given at NFB conventions re-printed but it is meant to be a comprehensive academic book. I enjoyed it and learned alot that I intend to use given the opportunity.

[Denver Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

But for the excessive amount of time I had to devote to reading this book, it was incredible! I had no clue what the blindness community had gone through prior to my loss of vision. I used to think that the Federation was a militant group! Now I understand the statement they make when they say,”We know who we are, and we’re never going back!” Now that makes so much sense to me! And defines the very reason the Nfb sets their sights on something and goes for it with a deliberate trajectory!