This year, as Fello celebrates 65 years of supporting people with disabilities and building inclusive communities, we’re reflecting on the history of the disability rights movement and the milestones that helped shape the work we do today. 

The 1980s were a decade of resilience. Advocates defended hard-won victories while continuing to work toward the changes needed to empower people with disabilities to participate more fully in their communities. 

That determination paid off. The 1990s brought groundbreaking civil rights protections at the national level and meaningful progress closer to home—achievements that continue to shape the lives of people with disabilities today. 

A Victory Decades in the Making 

On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, marking a historic victory for people with disabilities. The ADA extended civil rights protections across key areas of public life, helping ensure that people with disabilities had the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. 

The victory didn’t come easily. The ADA was rewritten multiple times and faced opposition from some lawmakers and business groups. But advocates understood what the ADA would mean for everyday life—and they refused to let its potential slip away. 

Self-advocates played a critical role. By openly sharing their stories and describing what life looked like without basic protections, they helped lawmakers better understand the importance of accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunity. 

The movement reached a turning point on March 12, 1990, when hundreds of advocates gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand action. In a moment that captured the nation’s attention, attendees left behind wheelchairs, crutches, and other mobility aids to climb up the Capitol steps—a powerful symbol of what the law would mean for their dignity and freedom. 

That sustained advocacy carried the ADA across the finish line, earning bipartisan support, expanding civil rights protections, and reshaping public understanding of disability nationwide. 

Taking the Lead 

The momentum created by the ADA energized advocacy efforts nationwide. At the same time, decades of grassroots organizing helped expand access, visibility, and civil rights protections for people with disabilities. 

In Maryland, organizations like Fello helped move that work forward. Founded by families advocating for greater opportunity and inclusion, Fello continued to encourage policies that supported people with disabilities and their families in communities across the state.  

By the early 1990s, Fello’s advocacy was focused on strengthening community support services, supporting the workforce that assists people with disabilities, and promoting full implementation of the ADA in Maryland. 

Fello also supported changes in education. In 1990, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fello advocated for stronger transition support services from school to work and to adult life, while also supporting more inclusive educational opportunities for students with disabilities.  

As advocacy efforts expanded, so did the self-advocacy movement itself. During the decade, the phrase “Nothing About Us Without Us” became widely adopted, capturing the growing demand for self-determination, representation, and belonging. Decades later, that phrase still rings out at rallies and in legislative halls as people with disabilities work to shape the decisions that affect their lives. 

That spirit continues today at Fello through programs like Living Boldly, where self-advocates continue to speak up, influence policy, and help create more inclusive communities across Maryland. 

From Institutions to Community 

As civil rights protections expanded, the 1990s marked a clear shift away from institutionalization toward true community living. 

In 1955, more than 550,000 people lived in state institutions across the United States. By 1998, that number had declined to approximately 57,000. More people with disabilities were finally living and participating in their communities.  

In 1999, the Supreme Court’s landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision—built on the foundation of the ADA—ruled that unjustified institutionalization of people with disabilities is a form of discrimination. The decision affirmed that people with disabilities have the right to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. 

Change was happening fast—and it was far-reaching. Between 1990 and 1999, the number of people receiving Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) grew by 558% as states expanded alternatives to institutional care.  

Maryland experienced that demand firsthand. Growing waitlists led the state to establish the Waiting List Equity Fund in 1994. In 1998, Maryland launched an initiative to place nearly 6,000 people into services over five years—early steps toward closing a gap that still exists today. 

Fello responded to those needs at the local level. In the early 1990s, Fello expanded our Individual Support Services Program—sending Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) directly into homes to stabilize families in crisis, prevent out-of-home placements, and support people in building the skills they needed to live more independently. 

That work reflected a growing understanding that inclusion starts with community. Having access to support, housing, education, and meaningful relationships gives people the opportunity to live the lives they choose. 

A Decade That Changed Everything 

The 1990s were a defining decade for the disability rights movement.

From the passage of the ADA to the Olmstead decision advancing the right to community living, the progress achieved throughout the decade continues to shape everyday life for people with disabilities today. 

These victories were built on decades of advocacy and a growing understanding that people with disabilities deserve the same rights and dignity as everyone else. The country wasn’t just listening to what advocates had to say—it was acting. 

The progress of the 1990s laid the foundation for even greater change in the years ahead—and reinforced a truth that continues to guide our work today: inclusive communities are stronger communities. 

Next in the series: The 2000s—more inclusive language, the rise of self-direction in Maryland, and the closing of Rosewood Center.