The Disability Reference Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s Archives Center

Abstract: This Advertising in the Archives article shares materials from the Disability Reference Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s (NMAH) Archives Center. It highlights the Collection’s wealth of archival materials documenting the history of disability rights, advocacy, and representation in media and advertising. Through selected items, including a 1981 conference pamphlet on representations of disability in media, a 1993 article on models with disabilities in Mainstream magazine, and advertisements commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this article stresses the need to recognize the long-standing assessment of disability representation in commercial messaging. Additionally, material artifacts, such as Justin Dart, Jr.’s iconic cowboy hat and boots and a tactile model of a Wizard of Oz character from a Comcast ad, reveal the depth of the NMAH’s collection of disability materials. This piece aims to inspire further scholarly engagement with disability perspectives in the archives, which can hopefully foster a more inclusive understanding of the cultural and social history of advertising and its place in society.