Aristotle was the first to write about deafness.. His theory was that individuals could only learn through spoken language. As a result, deaf individuals were seen as incapable of learning or having any opportunity for education. Throughout history, the deaf community was given very few rights, and in some parts of the world, the law classified them as “non persons.”
During the Renaissance in Europe, scholars wanted to educate deaf people and debunk beliefs about them that originated 2,000 years ago. Many people have helped improve communication for those with hearing loss. Geronimo Cardano was the first scholar to recognize that learning does not require hearing. In the 1500s, he taught deaf students by writing words. The first version of sign language was developed by Martha’s Vineyard, known as Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language, or MVSL.
The history of American Sign Language began in 1814 when education for the deaf became accessible in the United States. Before 1814, there were only a few thousand deaf Americans, and no standardized sign language existed. The journey for the deaf community took a turn when Thomas Gallaudet recognized the intelligence of Alice Cogswell, the daughter of a neighbor. Although she could not hear, her intelligence was very high. However, Gallaudet made little progress in teaching Cogswell how to write or spell.
The doctor was unsure of the most effective way to educate deaf people. With the support of Cogswell’s father, Gallaudet traveled to Europe, where he learned about the history of deaf education. In Europe, Gallaudet met Laurent Clerc, a successful deaf educator. He studied Clerc’s teaching methods and took private lessons from him. When he returned to America with Clerc, the two men founded the first American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut in 1817.
When Gallaudet died in 1851, his son, Edward Miner Gallaudet, continued his father’s legacy and became a teacher at the American School for the Deaf. He sought to improve educational access for the deaf community, so he presented the idea of a college for the deaf to Congress. In 1864, the National College for the Deaf and Dumb was established with the help of Amos Kendall who donated the land. The name only lasted for one year before it was changed to the National Deaf-Mute College. In 1986, the name was changed to Gallaudet University.
In 1960, William Stokoe, a professor at Gallaudet University, published an essay that said American Sign Language, or ASL, is a legitimate language with its own grammar. These professors and scholars improved the lives of the deaf community by showing the world that they are not “dumb,” but are smart and deserve a recognized language.
