On March 4th, 2023, Judy Heumann, an American activist who spent more than 50 years fighting for the rights of individuals with disabilities, passed away at the age of 75. Because of polio, she had to use a wheelchair from a young age.
In 1970, when she applied for a teaching license in New York City, she was discriminated against. Heumann sued the city for discrimination after the officials said her wheelchair was a fire threat. Heumann became the first wheelchair user to teach in the state once the dispute was eventually resolved.
Her stay at Camp Jened, an upstate New York summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, had an impact on Heumann’s advocacy in the 1970s. The camp brought together young people who would eventually become leaders in the disability rights movement, and President and Michelle Obama’s 2020 documentary “Crip Camp” chronicled their journey.
Heumann was a key figure in the 504 Sit-Ins of 1977, a string of nonviolent demonstrations to force the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to ratify Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which established federal civil rights protections for people with disabilities.
Judith Heumann’s Net Worth at Time of Death
Judith Heumann hasn’t mentioned her net worth. However, it is reported that she was worth $1.5 million dollars at the time of her death.