History Through Deaf Eyes Analysis

While watching “History: Through Deaf Eyes” by PBS, I learned a lot about deaf culture and history. I already knew about certain events, like the rise of oral teaching and the protest for Gallaudet; however, listening to the stories from people who experienced these events gave me appreciation I did not have before. Also, learning how technology shaped deaf history was also very interesting, as well as the various options for deaf children today. The rise of oral teaching was a part of history I briefly learned about when I was younger, but I never fully understood it until watching the movie. I was surprised to see how quickly it caught on throughout schools across America. The notion that deaf people should learn to speech and lip read to be like everyone else seems unreal to me. Alexander Graham Bell’s belief that “a life without signing would be a better life” was surprising especially after learning his mother and wife were deaf (“History: Through Deaf Eyes”). Bell’s oral method, to

Learning that people had to protest to get fair representation in the 1980’s seems crazy to me. My first thought was, how could any hearing person ever represent the needs and feelings of the deaf community? Though I understand many people grow up in the deaf community and are hearing, that does not award them the right to understand the struggle of the deaf community or what it’s like actually being deaf. I’m glad to know that every Gallaudet president since the protest has been a deaf president. I’m also very glad I watched this movie, as I feel the history of deaf culture is one few hearing people know, but I think everyone should understand more about a community that lives among hearing people every day, and does not receive its deserve