Deaf President Now Protest

Deaf President Now was a protest at Gallaudet University in 1988 from March 6th to 13th to object to the appointment of Dr. Elisabeth Zinser as president of Gallaudet University, a university that serves the deaf. The Board of Trustees of the University selected Dr. Zinser over two other qualified deaf candidates after the students and other members of the deaf community made clear their wish for a deaf president of Gallaudet.

The protest had four student leaders: Greg Hlibok, Bridgetta Bourne, Tim Rarus, and Jerry Covell. The students, along with other members of the deaf community, made four demands to stop their protest.

The first demand was that Dr. Zinser resign as president of the University.

The second was that Jane Spilman resign as the chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The third was that the Board of Trustees must reach a 51% deaf majority.

The fourth was that there should be no reprisals against the protesters.

Due to the protest and recognition of the greater civil rights issue at hand, Dr. Zinser announced her resignation on March 11th. The Board of Trustees met on March 13th and announced that Jane Spilman resigned entirely from the Board and that Phil Bravin, a deaf Board of Trustees member, was appointed as Board Chair. During that meeting, they also appointed Dr. I. King Jordan (one of the deaf candidates) as the new president of the University and established a task force to explore increasing deaf representation on the Board. They also confirmed no reprisals for anyone who participated in the protest.

This video collection consists mainly of videos filmed by Deaf Mosaic. Snippets of these films made it into episode 402, which can be seen here.

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1988-03-28 - Reception and DPN Night Party (March 28, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The Deaf President Now council introduces themselves, Dr. Jordan gives a speech, the deaf printers of the Washington Post are recognized, and Bernard Bragg performs a poem.
1988-03-14 - Dr. I. King Jordan Comment (March 14, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Dr. I. King Jordan makes a brief statement from the President's Office at Gallaudet on his first day.
1988-03-14 - Meeting After Victory (March 14, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The Deaf President Now Council meets the day after their victory. Dr. Jordan and Phil Bravin join in to make statements to the council.
1988-03-14 - Press Conference at Ely Center Auditorium 1 (March 14, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Greg Hlibok, Dr. I. King Jordan, and Phil Bravin conduct a press conference and answer various questions about the protests and the aftermath, part 1.
1988-03-14 - Press Conference at Ely Center Auditorium 2 (March 14, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Greg Hlibok, Dr. I. King Jordan, and Phil Bravin conduct a press conference and answer various questions about the protests and the aftermath, part 2.
1988-03-13 - DPN Celebration at the Field House (March 13, 1988)

Gallaudet University

People at Gallaudet celebrate the appointment of Dr. Jordan. Greg Hlibok gives a recacp of how he found out about the Board's decision from Phil Bravin via TTY.
1988-03-13 - Embassy Hotel Press Conference 1 (March 13, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Dr. Catherine Ingold answers questions while the Board of Trustees meets. She is very vague in her answers. Mary Lou Novitsky makes remarks at the end of the video.
1988-03-13 - Embassy Hotel Press Conference and Celebration 2 (March 13, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The Board of Trustees announces the resignation of Jane Spilman, the appointment of Phil Bravin as Chair, the appointment of Dr. I. King Jordan as president of Gallaudet University, and a committee to review the make up of the Board. Celebration commences with various clips and interviews of people.
1988-03-13 - Embassy Hotel Press Conference and Celebration 3 (March 13, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Celebration continues over the appointment of Dr. Jordan. Dr. Jordan gives a speech officially accepting the presidency. Phil Bravin's sister and father are interviewed about his appointment as Chair of the Board of Trustees.
1988-03-13 - Embassy Hotel Press Conference and Celebration 4 (March 13, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Celebration continues over the appointment of Dr. Jordan. Dr. Jordan's speech from the previous video is shown from the back.
1988-03-12 - Interviews with People Filmed by Laura 1 (March 12, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Someone interviews several people and asks them all the same questions. First, what do they think of the protests? Second, how are they helping out with the protests? Third, what they think will happen with the Board. Generally all the answers are similar: they support the protests, they are helping out by selling food, marching, and participating in phone banks, they are confident the Board will change their mind regarding the appointment of a hearing president. The people interviewed are of various ages, races, and genders.
1988-03-12 - Interviews with People Filmed by Laura 2 (March 12, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Continuation of interviews from first video with an added question: how long people predict it will take for the Board to change their minds. Most people agree that the decision will be soon.
1988-03-11 - Field House Rally 1 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

There is a press conference at the Field House featuring a panel of different organizational leaders who take turns offering support for the Deaf President Now protests.
1988-03-11 - Field House Rally 2 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

There is a press conference at the Field House featuring a panel of different organizational leaders who take turns offering support for the Deaf President Now protests. There is a brief clip of the second panel featuring the Deaf President Now council, but it is largely cut off.
1988-03-11 - March to Capitol Filmed by Laura 1 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Assorted clips of the march to the Capitol building.
1988-03-11 - March to Capitol Filmed by Laura 2 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Assorted clips of the march to the Capitol building. This video also includes a long clip of watching the protesters go by.
1988-03-11 - March to Capitol Filmed by Laura 3 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Video begins at the Field House. It shows several news crews and people sitting to see what's next. There are many close ups of people watching the speeches. The subjects of the close ups occasionally cheer and have side conversations.
1988-03-11 - Press Conference with Board of Trustees 1 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

A press conference begins with Frank Sullivan, Dr. Catherine Ingold, Dr. Zinser, and Jane Spilman the morning after Dr. Zinser tendered her resignation. Dr. Zinser and Spilman make statements and Sullivan asks that the students protesting have faith in the deaf Board of Trustees members when the Board reconvenes.
1988-03-11 - Press Conference with Board of Trustees 2 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The press conference continues with Frank Sullivan, Dr. Catherine Ingold, Dr. Zinser, and Jane Spilman the morning after Dr. Zinser tendered her resignation. Questions are asked and answers given on a variety of topics.
1988-03-11 - Press Conference with Board of Trustees 3 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The press conference continues with Frank Sullivan, Dr. Catherine Ingold, Dr. Zinser, and Jane Spilman the morning after Dr. Zinser tendered her resignation. Questions are asked and answers given on a variety of topics.
1988-03-11 - Press Conference with Board of Trustees 4 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The press conference continues with Frank Sullivan, Dr. Catherine Ingold, Dr. Zinser, and Jane Spilman the morning after Dr. Zinser tendered her resignation. Questions are asked and answers given on a variety of topics.
1988-03-11 - Rally at California School for the Deaf at Berkeley 1 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Rally at the California School for the deaf showing support for the Deaf President Now protests all the way from the west coast, part 1.
1988-03-11 - Rally at California School for the Deaf at Berkeley 2 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

Rally at the California School for the deaf showing support for the Deaf President Now protests all the way from the west coast, part 2.
1988-03-11 - Rally at Capitol Hill 1 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The rally at the Capitol takes place with many speakers giving statements of support, part 1.
1988-03-11 - Rally at Capitol Hill 2 (March 11, 1988)

Gallaudet University

The rally at the Capitol takes place with many speakers giving statements of support, part 2.