"Sign 504" button, 1977

In 1977 this button was worn by activists during the various federal building occupations in cities across the country, including San Francisco. The button is from Everybody: an Artifact History of Disability in America, a website by the Smithsonian Institution. "Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in federally funded programs. The Ford administration drafted regulations but President Carter delayed their implementation. In 1977, after years of waiting for federal guidelines, activists lost patience and staged protests around the country."

SIGN 504 Button, 1977

Button URL: http://everybody.si.edu/media/746