Elizabeth Kmetz
ENGL 112B/ Spring 2005

Annotated Bibliography: Deaf Culture

 

Deaf Culture & History

 

Christiansen, John F., and Sharon N. Barnartt. Deaf President Now! The 1988 Revolution at Gallaudet University.  Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 1995.

 

This account details the Deaf Civil Rights Movement that occurred at Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts college for the Deaf in the world, in 1988. For 124 years, the president of Gallaudet University had been a hearing person. When a hearing women, who had never worked with the Deaf, was elected by the Board of Directors to be the next president of Gallaudet, the students protested and demanded a Deaf president NOW! There is also a film, available through www.dcara.org, by the same title.  

 

Gannon, Jack, Beatty Jeff, and Chun Louie. The Week The World Heard Gallaudet. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 1989.

           

            Like Deaf President Now!, this book gives an account of the Deaf Civil Rights Movement. This account was published within months of the actual event. It includes black and white pictures.

 

History Through Deaf Eyes. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.

 

            There are several components to History Through Deaf Eyes. It is a book for students that has accompanying posters and a teacher's guide. There is even a traveling exhibit that can come to your school! The book covers from the early 1800's through the present.

 

Holcomb, Roy et al. Deaf Culture, Our Way: Antidotes From the Deaf Community. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1996.

 

A small, square-shaped book that is easy to read, but is filled with insights into Deaf humor and life. This book contains some of the most commonly shared jokes from the culture, including the honeymoon story, the Deaf cop story, and the TTY/Telephone Line joke. It also includes answers to questions about everyday life like, "Can a Deaf person use a drive-thru?" and "How does a Deaf person know if the fan is on above the stove?" 

 

Kelley, Walter Paul. Deaf Culture A to Z. Austin: Buto Ltd, 2003.

 

This is an alphabet book with fantastic pictures and detailed written descriptions of the cultural element being discussed. Both the author and illustrator are Deaf (Deaf with a capital "D" indicates aligning oneself with the Deaf culture rather than the medical condition of deafness, which is denoted by a lower case "d"). This is a fun way to discuss a serious topic.

 

Lane et al. A Journey into the Deaf World. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1996.

            This book has lovingly been called the "bible" of the Deaf world. It is as close to an encyclopedia on Deaf culture and history as one can get. It discusses everything from language conventions, to Deaf social clubs, and whether deafness is a disability or not. A must read for reports on Deaf culture!

 

Padden, Carol and Tom Humphries. Deaf In America: Voices From A Culture. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988.

 

            Written by Deaf authors, the book shares the experiences of growing up Deaf and feeling as though one is living in someone else's world. It also discusses discovering the Deaf community.

 

Wilcox, Sherman, ed. American Deaf Culture. Maryland: Linstok Press, 1989.

           

            An anthology of articles whose theme is on living in and experiencing the Deaf Culture in the United States. The anthology is comprised of 19 articles, mostly written by individuals seen by the Deaf community as the most highly educated Deaf scholars living in the United States at this time: Carol Padden, Ben bahan, Barbara Kannapell, William Stokoe (who has now passed away), and Tom Humphries.

 

Famous Deaf People

 

Eastman, Gilbert. Sign Me Alice &  Laurent Clerc: A Profile/Two Deaf Plays. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1997.

 

            Written specifically for a young adult audience, the book can be read as either aninformation text profiling Alice Cogswell and Laurent Clerc, or as a play. Alice was the young girl who inspired Mr. Gallaudet to build his university and Laurent Clerc was her teacher, brought all the way to Washington, DC, from France.

 

Keller, Helen. The Story of My Life: The Restored Edition. New York: Random House, 2004.

Originally published in 1903, this is the story of Hellen Keller who became both deaf and blind as a child, but went on to be an astute and gifted writer and speaker.  She credits her teacher Anne Sullivan. There are many film renditions of the autobiography.

 

Mather, Susan M., and Cathyrn Carroll. Movers & Shakers: Deaf People Who Changed the World. San Diego: Dawn Sign Press, 1997.

 

            A collection of 26 biographies of the most well-known Deaf historical figures, it contains a story for everyone. The stories encompass themes ranging from sports to racism to education.

 

Wheeler, Jill C. Heather Whitestone: Miss America with a Mission. Minnesota: ABDO Publishing 1996.

 

This book was also written with the young adult reader in mind. The book is a biography of the one and only Deaf winner of the Miss America pageant.

 

Winning Sounds Like This: A Season with the Women's Basketball Team at Gallaudet, the World's Only University for the Deaf. New York: Crown Publishing, 2003.

 

            This will entice the sports fans in your class. The book follows the team on their journey to becoming champions and highlights an interview in which a reporter asked how a team that was deaf, which obviously could not hear their coach's voice nor the whistle could be such a cohesive unit and win a championship against a hearing team.

 

 

Magazines

 

World Around You. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.

 

This magazine is aimed at the Deaf young adults. It's contributors are Deaf young adults themselves. The magazine includes discussions on topics relevant to young adults - social concerns, fitting in with hearing aids, etc - but also provides writing contests, factual information on the Deaf culture, discussions of hot topics -politics - and has articles written by successful Deaf adults.  World Around You is available in print from the Laurent Clerc Center at Gallaudet University. It is free if requested by teachers for their classroom. There is a teacher's guide. Visit www.gallaudet.edu and click on Laurent Clerc Center to sign up!

 

 

Films

 

History Through Deaf Eyes. WETA, Washington, DC, Florentine Films, and Gallaudet Universit, 2002.

 

            This movie would accompany the History Through Deaf Eyes text as described above.

 

Sound & Fury. Josh Aronson and Roger Weisberg. DVD. New Video Group, 2002.

           

            Though the name of the movie reminds us of a well-known, classical text, this is a documentary centering on the debate over cochlear implants. The documentary lets the viewer form their own opinions as it follows two families trying to make the decision about whether to implant their child or not. Likewise, it shows what is happen in and to the Deaf community in terms of cochlear implants.