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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. It is a Civil Rights Legislation that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. In places of employment and public places it provides accommodations. The purpose of ADA is to ensure equal opportunities and access for people with disabilities. ADA has gotten rid of problems with employment and created a better workplace with diversity and inclusion. -
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Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy
This policy was implemented by the United States government under the command of President Bill Clinton. It was implemented to create a regulation governing how the U.S. military dealt with gay and lesbian service members. People argued that this was discrimination. It forced gays and lesbians to serve the military in silence, their sexuality was not able to be investigated. In 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act, it started the ended of the policy (Kruse and Zelizer, 206). -
Million Man March
In Washington D.C. Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam organized this march that consisted of a million black men. The purpose of this gathering was to promote African American unity. It drew a massive crowd of African American men from all across the United States. The goal was to reform social and political issues impacting African Americans, such as; racism, unemployment, and violence. (Leah Asmelash, CNN) -
Defense Of Marriage Act
DOMA was a United States federal law signed by President Bill Clinton. This law defined marriage for federal reasons as the union between a man and woman. This directly prohibits the federal government from allowing same-sex marriages. DOMA denied same-sex couples access to federal benefits and protections such as Social Security, and joint tax filing, This created severe inequality for same-sex couples in areas such as healthcare and taxes. (Kruse and Zelizer, 218) -
Matthew Shepard The Laramie Project
Matthew Shepard was a gay man who became the victim of a brutal hate crime. Matthew was a college student at the University of Wyoming. He was openly gay and active in the LGBTQ+ community. On October 6, 1998, Shepard was lured from a bar by, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. They robbed, beat, and left him tied to a fence. He was discovered 18 hours later. The Project addresses themes of hate and sexual discrimination. It helped move the entire LGBTQ rights movement forward. (Sheerin,
BBC) -
Columbine Shooting
The Columbine High School shooting was a tragic mass shooting that occurred in Colorado. Two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, armed with firearms opened fire. It resulted in the deaths of 12 students and 1 teacher, and injured 21 others. Harris and Klebold, died by suicide inside the library. The Columbine shooting prompted widespread debate about issues such as gun violence, proper school safety, mental health, and bullying. It provided support efforts to prevent future mass shootings. -
9/11
A tragic terrorist attack that occurred in New York City. The terrorists hijacked four airplanes. Two of the planes were flown into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, causing both towers to collapse with victims inside the building and on the plane. The third plane crashed into the Pentagon. There were thousands of fatalities and injuries. The Department of Homeland Security was created to prevent future attacks on the U.S. -
Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005 Katrina made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Louisiana, causing catastrophic damage along the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina caused the death of approx 2,000 lives and resulted in an estimated $125 billion in damage fee. It one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history. People were displaced from their homes with no place to go. This tragedy created debates about urban planning, environmental sustainability, and the need for recovery efforts. (Fox News) -
Virginia Tech Shooting
The Virginia Tech shooting also known as the Virginia Tech massacre resulted in the death of 27 students and 5 faculty members. Seung-Hui Cho, a 23-year-old student was the mass shooter. It created debates and discussions about gun control, mental health, and even campus security. It remains one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history. (Christine Hauser and Anahad O’Connor, NY Times Article) -
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is a piece of healthcare legislation. It was signed by President Obama. The goal was to extend access to affordable health insurance for Americans who were previously uninsured. The law helps by lowering down health care costs.It provides more health insurance choices and better access to care. (Elizabeth Davis, Verywell Health)