The History Hour

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the invention of GPS


Listen Later

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.

We find out about the landmark protest in 1990 when wheelchair users crawled up the steps of the US Capitol Building in Washington DC, campaigning for disability rights.

Our expert is Dr Maria Orchard, law lecturer at the University of Leeds, who has carried out research into disability and inclusion.

We hear about the 2015 attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunisia's capital, in which 22 tourists were killed.

Next, the Gambian woman who in 1997 began making bags and purses out of old discarded plastic and is now globally recognised as Africa's Queen of Recycling.

The South African musical King Kong which opened to critical acclaim in 1959 and whose all-black cast defied apartheid.

Finally, the invention of the Global Positioning System - GPS - in the late 1970s, which now keeps aircraft in the sky and supports banking transactions.

Contributors:

Anita Cameron - disability rights campaigner

Dr Maria Orchard - lecturer in law at the University of Leeds
Hamadi Ben Abdesslem - tour guide
Isatou Ceesay - environmental campaigner
Nelson Mandela - former President of South Africa
Marian Matshikiza - daughter of Todd Matshikiza, jazz pianist and composer
Professor Brad Parkinson - chief architect of GPS

(Photo: 8 year-old Jennifer Keelan crawls up the steps of the US Capitol, 12 March 1990. Credit: AP/Jeff Markowitz)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The History HourBy BBC World Service

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

554 ratings


More shows like The History Hour

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,463 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

367 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,816 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,696 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,211 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

499 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,812 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,107 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

962 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

602 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

957 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,947 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,060 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,885 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

842 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

356 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

436 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

744 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,770 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,196 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

735 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,159 Listeners

History's Heroes by BBC Radio 4

History's Heroes

503 Listeners