Description
The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Records document the activities and policies of one of the first organizations
advocating for civil rights for people with disabilities. The bulk of these records date from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s.
The collection has been divided into nine series. The first few series pertain to the administrative functions of DREDF and
its earlier incarnation, the Disability Law Resource Center of the Center for Independent Living. In the remaining series,
the three major themes are litigation, education and legislative policy, all of which affect integration into the mainstream,
civil and human rights and equality of opportunity for this sometimes "hidden minority."
Background
The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) was established on October 1, 1979 in Berkeley, California by Mary
Lou Breslin, Patrisha A. Wright, and Robert Funk. It is a nonprofit national law and policy center run primarily by disabled
persons. DREDF is dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities and their families through
legislation, litigation, advocacy, technical assistance and the education and training of attorneys, advocates, persons with
disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. DREDF serves as one of the disability community's primary national
legal defense organizations.
Extent
Number of containers: 27 cartons, 2 boxes, 2 oversize folders
Linear feet: 35
Restrictions
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head
of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The
Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright
owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.
Availability
Collection is open for research.