Disability and Employment in the United States, 1880–1955: Implications for Human Resource Development Practice and Research

This paper explores historical ableism in the United States workforce from the close of the Civil War to the end of World War II. It discusses the issues people with disabilities (PWD), including disabled veterans, faced when entering or returning to the workforce, along with the policy and practical shifts that occurred to mitigate such issues. We approach this discussion with a critical and intersectional lens, situating the shift within critical disability studies and framing analyses within historically relevant medical, economic, and social modes of disability. We aim to inform Human Resource Development (HRD) scholars, practitioners, and educators about PWD’s often underrepresented histories in various workplaces and training programs by demonstrating the impacts of the models and workplace ableism. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the legacies of historical policies and practices continue to shape professional and continuing education for many PWD.