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Parallels In Time
A History of Developmental Disabilities

Part One:
The Ancient Era
to the 1950s
Part Two:
The 1950s
to Today
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Parallels In Time
Part Two
Prologue

Prologue

The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities created Parallels in Time to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Council. Parallels in Time ends at the discussion of WWII. To commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the Council, work began to collect historical materials from WWII to 2005. This section of the Web site is called Parallels in Time: Part 2.

Video: Elizabeth Boggs — "Evolution"

Photos: Images used in Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger's presentation, "A History of Human Services, Universal Lessons, and Future Implications."

Moments in Disability History

Individuals and events that played significant roles in the disability rights movement leading to the passage of the ADA and in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the ADA through the ADA Legacy Project.

State Institution Exteriors

Photos: Lucy Gwin, Mouth Magazine, shared hundreds of scanned postcards of state institution exteriors.

Video: Abandoned to Their Fate — Gunnar Dybwad — Historical Overview

Video: Learning Social Norms — Herb Lovett

Occupational Therapy Dept. Booklet

Photos: Lucy Gwin, Mouth Magazine, shared these images from a 1933 publication showing institution life from the nursery to working in industry

Eugenics

Photos: Eugenics was, quite literally, an effort to breed better human beings — by encouraging the reproduction of people with "good genes" and discouraging those with "bad genes."

Video: Gunnar Dybwad Interview: Genetic Scare

"Eugenics – Breeding a Better Citizenry Through Science" – In the early decades of the 20th Century, sterilization was part of a master plan for ending crime and poverty.

Ethics

Kappel, Bruce (1985). Five challenges for the future: A personal perspective. Canadian Journal on Mental Retardation. 35. (3), 15-20.

Bruce Kappel prepared briefing papers on a series of moral and ethical issues specific to developmental disabilities. These brief papers include: guardianship, involuntary servitude, sterilization, Baby Doe, and euthanasia. To read more about these issues:

Guardianship
Involuntary Servitude
Sterilization
Baby Doe
Euthanasia
Complete Briefing Paper

Goldman, Ed (1989). Human Worth, A Matter of Value. Interaction. 3. (2), 27-30.

Please Note: These articles contain language and phrases that are now considered offensive. They remain as they appeared in the original articles because of the historical context in which they were written.

Drug Ads

Photos: Lucy Gwin, Mouth Magazine, shared four different sets of drug ads.

"Psychotherapy and Drug Treatments": More Information about Psychotherapy and Drug Treatments

Treatments

Photos: Lucy Gwin, Mouth Magazine, shared several sets of images including the transorbital lobotomy, use of cages, water treatments, cells and various restraints.

Cells: More information about cells

The Transorbital Lobotomy: More information about the transorbital lobotomy

Water Treatments: More information about the water treatments

Cribs, Cages, and Baskets: More Information about cribs, cages and baskets

Restraints: More Information about restraints from the past

"Bedlam" by Albert Maisel

Photos: The Council purchased a copy of the 1946 Life Magazine article entitled "Bedlam" by Albert Maisel.

PDF: The article was scanned and is provided here in its entirety.

PDF: WWII Pacifists Exposed Mental Ward Horrors (NPR Transcript)

Belongings of People in Institutions

The Willard Suitcase Exhibit – "The Lives They Left Behind", Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic

Partners In Policymaking Program
Partners Online Courses (5 Free Courses)
With an Eye to the Future (Minnesota History from the 2000 to Present)
With an Eye to the Past (Minnesota History from the 1800s to 2000)
A History of Human Services (Wolf Wolfensberger – 36 Hours of Lecture)
Disability Justice Resource Center (A Resource Center for Students, Lawyers and Advocates)
The DD Act (A History of the Developmental Disabilities Act from 1970 to Present)
The Learning Center (Historical Documents of the Council)

©2024 The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Administration Building 50 Sherburne Avenue Room G10
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-4018 Toll-free number: 877-348-0505 MN Relay Service: 800-627-3529 OR 711
Email: admin.dd.info@state.mn.us View Privacy Policy An Equal Opportunity Employer

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center, the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2401MNSCDD, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,152,808.00 funded by ACL/HHS and $222,000.00 funded by non-federal-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.