Several of these reports predate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which passed in 1990. Significantly, this illustrates that King County was an early pioneer, providing services and opportunities to people with disabilities before it was federally required to do so.

Tables and charts like the below were often used to illustrate the number of County contracts won by disabled people, described as “People with Disabilities (PWD).” The County would report on how reality compared with their goals from the previous year, and what next steps were needed to make the job market more accessible and equitable.

King County Metro was among the first transit agencies to make buses accessible to those who use wheelchairs, more than a decade before the passing of the ADA.

Although initial efforts didn’t meet community needs, Metro kept up its pursuit. By the early 1980s, the first reliable lifts were in place; by 1999, the entire fleet was accessible.

When the ACCESS Services program was set to change in the fall of 1999, King County Metro welcomed community feedback. Metro hosted four in-person meetings to discuss the upcoming ACCESS Program changes, notably providing sign language interpreter services to make public feedback accessible and possible for Deaf and hard-of-hearing constituents. 

When changes were implemented, constituents wrote in, describing the impact the ACCESS program had on their daily lives, especially by providing on-demand, accessible transportation for assistance with errands, fulfilling daily responsibilities, and being active members of the community. Many comments were critical of the proposed changes. Despite this, Metro welcomed all feedback on the changes.

Shortly after the landmark ADA was passed in 1990, King County began retrofitting sidewalks for accessibility and expanding public transportation for disabled riders. These maps, from 1991 and 1994 mark all of the accessible crossways downtown.

To learn more about Metro’s accessible services, see a previous King County Archives Exhibit, Disability Awareness Month – A History of Metro’s Accessible Transit Services from 2017.

Created by the Arts Commission, Space Finder highlights multiple event venues located in the county. Rather than a simple bulleted list, the county designed a distinct document highlighting venues by providing in-depth information about wheelchair, sight, and hearing accessibility. 

A compilation of artists, arts organizations, heritage specialists, and organizations that provided cultural education programs and services to King County schools, this guide was created by the Cultural Resources Division, which the Arts Commission was a part of. The annual guide promoted local arts organizations and gave schools important information about their resources, costs, and target audience. This guide featured artists with disabilities such as Bill Seago who led “Deaf Moose Theater” which hosted storytelling, workshops, and residencies in American Sign Language (ASL).

Assembled by the King County Cultural Resources Division in 1992, this directory promoted Black, Indigenous, and artists of color, as well as disabled artists. To create it, the County ran a survey through art publications and newsletters to an estimated total of 23,000 readers. This comprehensive directory, while not exhaustive, highlights the work King County to elevate artists who have been historically marginalized.

Demonstrating the Art Commission’s devotion to serving the needs of visually limited and blind patrons, the scanned selection from the Literary Braille Magazine, published by the Arts Commission, brought the literary scene to all readers. The magazine, transcribed by the Washington Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped – currently known as the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library – is just one example of literature and media in accessible formats.

In Performa, the King County Arts Commission hosted programming created by artists exploring themes that delved into their disabilities, underscoring its commitment to holistic representation and inclusion. The performance arts festival began in 1982; by 1987, it included 500 global artists and attracted 60,000 spectators.

One of the performances highlighted in this issue was a collaboration between Danny Deardorff, the Tickle Tune Typhoon, and the Whistle Stop Dance Company. That show encouraged viewers to conserve and protect the Earth’s natural resources and built awareness for cultural diversity.

To encourage creative movement exploration, the dance workshop incorporated inclusive choreography to bring together people of all abilities. Funded by the King County Arts Commission’s Special Projects Program, it was created by Light Motion, which was co-founded by Charlene Curtiss, a renowned wheelchair dancer and a pioneer in integrated dance.

By bringing local artists to schools throughout the County, the program was a “collaborative approach to arts in education.”  The Arts Commission focused on bringing artists to rural areas that did not have comparable resources. Artists with disabilities shared their professional expertise with students by embedding themselves in physical residencies at schools. Students gained artistic skills and a greater understanding of an inclusive society.

Billy Seago was a repeat participant in the residency program. He was an artist who co-founded and directed the Deaf Youth Drama Program and acted in the Seattle Children’s Theater, Seattle Repertory Theater, and the National Theater for the Deaf. He also appeared on NBC Los Angeles, PBS San Francisco, and CBS Los Angeles. Billy’s brother, Howie, appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as Riva, a deaf negotiator. The brothers were a mainstay in the local arts scene and often created programming promoted by the Arts Commission.

VIEW SAMPLE OF ANNUAL REPORT

The Washington State Wheelchair Games (sponsored by Washington State and sponsored by King County) were held each summer in the 1970s and 1980s. They featured a mix of track, field, and shooting events. The games culminated with an awards ceremony where individuals were honored. These regional efforts were crucial to the universal recognition of para-sports and inclusive programming.

While similar to the Washington State Wheelchair Games, the target audience for this program was younger and featured recreational events. Also hosted during the 1970s and 1980s, these games were the predecessors to what would later become the Washington chapter of the Paralympics. These games comprised a variety of events including basketball, bowling, and running, and were all sponsored by King County Parks to create targeted programming for youth with disabilities.

Camp Easterseals was first established in 1947 as part of the broader Easterseals mission to support children and adults with disabilities. This initiative was born from the Washington Society for Crippled Children and Adults, a member of the national Easterseals organization, which had pioneered the iconic Easterseals fundraising campaign to support services for people with disabilities. This campaign, initially involving the sale of decorative envelope seals, not only raised awareness but also funded services, including recreational activities like those at Camp Easterseals, which offered creative and athletic activities tailored to youth with disabilities.

King County Parks later partnered with the camp, providing resources to expand its programs, including arts, sports, and social activities for inclusive youth engagement.

King County Parks sought to expand recreational opportunities to underserved residents. Recreation for people with disabilities was a novel idea at a time when they were segregated from the non-disabled population.

One of the programs they created was a summer camp at Gold Creek Lodge; it integrated youth with the necessary resources to succeed. There, people could ride hot air balloons, play softball, yo-yo, and race go-karts. These candid photographs highlight the rich diversity of people involved. Some images show a range of disabilities, which is a progressive action in a period when children with visible disabilities were often sequestered. From all accounts, Gold Creek Lodge camp is an exemplar of truly inclusive public programming.