While the term Ableism was coined in the 80’s, the practice has roots in many ancient societies including the Roman, Greek, and Egyptian Empires. It continues today as discrimination against disabled people and is heavily intergrated into our social systems and institutions. However, if you have been discriminated against for a perceived disability, you are in good company.

Several notable historical figures lived and thrived with disabilities, but this part of their identity goes largely undiscussed in history books. This may be because they kept their disabilities a secret to avoid being sent to asylums or even being put to death, or simply because historians neglected to mention it as a contributor to their successes. So, I have done my own research on notorious disabled people who made history for their achievements. 

I first got the idea for this research when I was listening to the Exactly Right podcast, in which the hosts discussed the life of Harriet Tubman. Tubman is best known for her contributions to the underground railroad (and rightly so), but she was a brave woman long before she became known as the “Moses of her People”. When she was 12, a slave owner threw a two pound iron at a young enslaved boy who was trying to run away. It is believed that Harriet deliberately put herself between them, which is what caused her to get hit in the head with the heavy weight. She was knocked unconscious and suffered severe brain damage, which caused her to have seizures and sleeping spells for the rest of her life. Harriet did not see these conditions as a disability, because during her seizures she would have visions that she believed came from God. These visions are what inspired her to free herself in 1851 through the underground railroad, and then go on to free more than 3,000 enslaved people through that same system. 

One of the most famous creative minds in history, Thomas Edison is famous for his inventions of the light bulb, the motion picture camera, and the phonograph. According to the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services, most people are not aware that he had to be homeschooled as a child because his severe dyslexia was affecting his ability to read and learn. Additionally, Edison went almost completely deaf after a bout with scarlet fever at age 7. Edison himself said that he felt motivated by these conditions, and that they forced him to work harder and think creatively. In fact, his determination and perseverance inspired one of his most famous quotes, “Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” 

It is necessary to note that Lewis Latimer, a black inventor who worked with Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, played a critical role in the development of Thomas Edison’s inventions. The Lewis Latimer Museum states that It is not known if he had a learning disability, but he was forced to overcome his lack of education as a son of formerly enslaved people.

One of the world’s most renowned portrait painters and the first 20th century Mexican artist to have her work featured in the Louvre, Frida Kahlo is an inspiration to many artists. The Respect Ability exhibit featured some of her most famous works such as “The Broken Column” and “Tree of Hope”, self portraits that depict Frida’s reality as a physically disabled person in a restrictive medical corset. When Kahlo contracted Polio at age 6, it caused permanent damage to her right leg and hip. She recovered and learned to move well given  the new state of her body, until she was in a car accident in which a steel rod went through her hip, severely injuring her spine and pelvis. While this could have forced Kahlo to live a life of confinement and limitation during recovery, she chose to paint instead. Her love of painting allowed her to express her reality, and her depictions of herself openly embraced her disabilities. 

The term disability is used to describe a perceived physical or mental ailment that limits movement or intellect. However, as evidenced by these notorious figures, disability is not always the reality of people living with these so-called ailments. The mental and physical conditions of Harriet Tubman, Thomas Edison, and Frida Kahlo were foundational factors in their success and contributions to the world.