Ed Roberts is often called the father of the independent living movement, but many people have never heard his story. This week, I’m joined by Professor Scot Danforth, author of An Independent Man, to explore Ed’s life, from contracting polio at fourteen and living in an iron lung, to becoming a key figure in disability rights.
We talk about the moments that shaped his activism, the power of the Rolling Quads, the curb cut revolution, and why Ed’s ideas on independence and attitudes still matter today.
If you want to understand where disability pride and modern disability culture began, this conversation is a meaningful place to start.
Connect with Scot
University website: https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/scot-danforth.aspx
Buy the book: www.booktopia.com.au/an-independent-man-scot-edward-danforth
Connect with Peta Hooke
Instagram: @petahooke
Website: www.icantstandpodcast.com
Email: icantstandpodcast@gmail.com
Episode Transcript:
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