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Milestones

These are for the timeline

1962

1962

Jun 18, 2015

Eunice Kennedy Shriver writes an article for the Saturday Evening Post based on her family’s own experience, entitled “Hope for Retarded Children”, which spurred the fight against a widely misunderstood affliction.

Read the entire article here

1963

1963

Jun 16, 2015

Mental Retardation and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act, originally Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) which authorized federal grants for construction of public/ nonprofit community health centers, signed into law by President John F. Kennedy.

1973

1973

Jun 14, 2015

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the first civil rights legislation in the United States designed to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination based on their disability status.

1975

1975

Jun 12, 2015

Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, requires all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education and one free meal a day for children with physical and mental disabilities.

1987

1987

Jun 10, 2015

Anthony Kennedy Shriver founded the original Best Buddies Chapter at Georgetown University.

Read the full article from Georgetown’s The Hoya newspaper about Best Buddies and Anthony K. Shriver.

1988

1988

Jun 6, 2015

History of the Best Buddies Keith Haring Logo

Best Buddies Logo
The iconic Best Buddies logo that features two individuals in an embrace was donated to Best Buddies in the late 1980s from legendary pop-artist, Keith Haring.

Learn More

1989

1989

Jun 6, 2015

Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on January 19, 1989, Best Buddies® becomes America’s first national, unified, social, and recreational program for people with intellectual disabilities.

1990

1990

Jun 4, 2015

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is signed into law by President George Bush. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.

1993

1993

Jun 2, 2015

The Best Buddies Fine Art Collection is developed, featuring masterpieces by Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg.

1993

1993

Jun 1, 2015

Launch of Best Buddies Citizens, with the goal of pairing adults with intellectual disabilities with their non-disabled working peers.

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