We provide Certified, Professional, Sign language Interpreters for the Deaf in Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, Mid-Cities, Irving, and the surrounding counties, for all your sign language interpreting and communication needs.
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The Deaf Legal Community:
Deaf Lawyers:
Lowell J. Myers- (January 26,1930—November 7, 2006) lost his hearing when he was 10 years old. The son of deaf parents, Myers grew up in Chicago became a lawyer who championed the legal rights of deaf people. For many years, Lowell J. Myers was the nation’s best-known deaf lawyer, having earned a reputation as a tough, shrewd advocate.
An accomplished lip-reader from an early age, he graduated from Lake View High School and received degrees from Roosevelt University and the University of Chicago before becoming a Certified Public Accountant. He worked at Sears, Roebuck and Co. for 30 years. While at Sears, Mr. Myers took night classes and received a law degree from John Marshall. He built his legal practice in the deaf community by attending events and handing out business cards.
Despite obstacles, discouragement, and no support services, he enrolled in law school and excelled. After earning his J.D., he took on thousands of cases, including several considered unwinnable, representing many deaf and destitute clients.
Myers’ The Law and the Deaf (1964) was instrumental in getting sign-language interpreters into courtroom. An expert in Biblical law, Myers argued 17 cases before the Illinois Supreme Court, and won them all.
An accountant and tax attorney, Mr. Myers worked as a legal advocate for the deaf in his spare time. He pushed for legislation to make interpreters for the deaf mandatory in court and in police interrogations. He fought for deaf people’s right to drive. And he wrote a book, “The Law and the Deaf,” on legal issues connected with the deaf community made legal history, and inspired Ernest Tidyman’s best-selling 1974 book and a 1979 TV-movie, both titled Dummy. Myers noted, “My clients like me and my opponents dislike me—which is just the way it should be!”
Claudia Gordon, Esq.,- is the first deaf lawyer who is African American and female, and also the first deaf student to graduate from the American University (AU) Washington College of Law, in Washington, DC, in 2000.
How many Deaf and Hard of Hearing Attorneys in the U.S. as of September 26, 2011?
"The NAD is not aware of any deaf or hard of hearing federal judges who use sign language. With the increasing number of deaf and hard of hearing attorneys in the United States, over 300 today, we want to see a signing judge appointed to Federal court in our lifetime," said Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD President.
Judge Theodore "Ted" Burtzos - made Illinois history.....the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously appointed Burtzos a Cook County Circuit Court judge. When he is sworn in March 3, Burtzos will become the first deaf judge in Illinois and one of three nationwide.
Judge Marion T. Carson- won’t hear a word they say. He may be the only totally deaf presiding judge in the state, although the State Bar of Texas said it doesn’t track judges with disabilities.
Tuesday November 30 2010- A PROFOUNDLY deaf man has made legal history after he was granted permission to serve on a jury with the help of a sign- language interpreter. Senan Dunne, a former producer with RTE’s ‘Hands On’ programme for deaf viewers, is the first deaf person to be…granted permission to serve on a jury.
Deaf pilots are just another kind of "NORDO" (no-radio) pilot. Only 8 per cent of American airspace below 18,000 feet requires communication with an air traffic controller, and this mostly around big-city airports. Most smaller airports do not require radio communications at all, and many of the airplanes flown out of these airports do not even have radios.
I'm (Henry Kisor) a member of the International Deaf Pilots Association, which currently has 45 members (out
of some 70 who hold FAA pilot certificates bearing the restriction "Not Valid for Flights Requiring the Use of Radio.
Nellie Zabel Willhite- was South Dakota’s first woman pilot. Born in 1892, she became deaf two years later after contracting measles. She began flying at the age of 35
On Dec. 31,Gregory H. Lawrence, 61, who has been deaf since he was a baby, scored a 90 on the FAA Certified Flight Instructor Knowledge test.... his project plan to become a flight instructor to the deaf.
Deaf are only limited by those who would not give them a chance... unless the Deaf ignore those limitations and make their own chance!
This page is dedicated to the members of the Deaf community who found a way to change the world.
The Deaf Scientific/Mathematics Community:
Robert Grant Aitken, American Astronomer 1864-1951: He discovered 3,000 double star systems. He wrote “Double Star Measures”. A crater on the moon is named after him.
Guillaume Amontons, French Physicist 1663-1705: One of the first scientists to study absoulte temperature. He developed some of the first barometers and thermometers.
George K. Andree, American Dentist: He was one of first deaf persons to earn degree in the dental profession.
Raymond T. Atwood, American Bacteriologist: He focused on the production of vitamins and antibodies.
Kreigh B. Ayers, American Chemist: He was one of first deaf chemists hired by Goodyear in World War I.
Donald L. Ballantyne, American Professor of Experimental Surgery 1922: He was known authority on transplantation techniques. He was first Deaf Professor of Experimental Surgery and Director of the Microsurgical Research and Training Laboratories.
Lewis H. Babbitt, American Herpetologist: He was a curator for the Worcester Natural History Society. He traveled and gave lectures about repitiles at schools across the nation.
Frederick A.P. Barnard, American Scientist / Educator 1809-1889: He established an astronomical observatory at University of Alabama. He was president of Columbia College
Ruth Fulton Benedict, American Anthropoligist 1887 – 1948: As an anthropologist, she studied visual aspects of culture (pottery, costumes, dance, etc) of Indian tribes.
Charles Bonnet, Swiss Naturalist 1720 – 1793: He was one of the founding fathers of modern biology. He made a great discovery of reproduction without fertilization in aphids (parthenogenesis).
Annie Jump Cannon, American Astronomer 1863 – 1941: She was the “Dean of Women Astronomers.” She classified 1/3 of a million stars.
Harold J. Conn, American Bacteriologist 1886 – 1975: He discovered that soil bacteria increassed while soil is frozen instead of decreasing as expected.
Sir John Warchup Cornforth, British Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1917 – : His work was focus on steriod synthesis. He discovered the basic reaction for the synthesis. He solved the mystery of the nature of enzyme catalysis. He won the Nobel Prize in 1975 for his work with cholesterol.
George T. Dougherty, American Metallurgist 1860 – 1938: He was a steel chemist.
Tilly Edinger, American Paleoneurologist (formerly Johanna Gabrielle Ottelie) 1897 – 1967: She studied fossils in Germany and America. She brought two diverse areas of paleontology and neurology together.
Thomas Alva Edison, American Inventor 1847 – 1931: The greatest American inventor. His patents included the phonograph and improvements in the light bulb.
Anders Gustaf Ekeberg, Swedish Chemist 1767 – 1813: He discovered tantalum (metal) in 1802. Tantalum is #73 on the Periodic Table in chemistry.
Robert J. Farquharson, American Civil War Surgeon 1824 – 1884: He was appionted by Andrew Johnson as surgeon during the Civil War, Fourth Tennessee Infantry. He later founded the Academy of Sciences which he was President in Iowa.
Sir John Ambrose Fleming, British Electrical Scientist 1849 – 1945: He served as consultant to Thomas Edison’s company in London. He developed the rectifier (electric valve). It is known as diode vacuum tube in the United States.
John Goodricke, British Astronomer 1764 – 1786: He discovered the variation of CEPHEI and other binary stars thus laying the foundation of modern measurements of the Universe.
Wilson H. Grabill, American Statistician 1912 – 1983: He used pioneering methodoloy that help produce the first ten-year census report on in 1940.
Anthony A. Hajna, American Bacteriologist 1907 – 1992: He became one of the nation’s authoriatative scientists in enteric bacteriology. His developmenet of a medium for isolating typhoid bacteria became recognized.
Olaf Hassel, Norwegian Astronomer 1898 – 1972: He discovered the comet and a nova. The comet was named after him.
Oliver Heaviside, British Electrical Scientist 1850 – 1925: He did much work with telephone signal transmission. The Kennely-Heaviside layer in the Earth’s atmosphere is named for him.
Dr. Frank P. Hockman, American Physician 1935 – : One of the first deaf physicians in the United States.
Regina Olson Hughes, Scientific Illustrator 1895 – 1993: She illustrated many flower species that scientists collected from all over the world. She was only deaf artist to have solo exhibiton at the Smithsonian Institution. She was honored by having two different new species named for her.
Dr. David James, American Mathematician 1950 – : He is an associate professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Donald J. Kidd, Canadian Geologist 1922 – 1966: He was first person to receive doctoral degree in Canada. He conducted research in geology. He was an instructor at Gallaudet College.
Alfred Kroeber, American Anthropologist: His meticulous work with Ishi, a Yahi was highlighted. His work was shown in movie called “The Last of His Tribe.” He was deaf in one ear.
Henrietta Swan Leavitt, American Astronomer 1868 – 1921: She discovered many Cepheids in the magellanic Clouds. She was considered for the Nobel Prize for her discovery of the period-luminostiy relationship but she had died of cancer.
Leo Lesquereux, American Paleobotanist 1806 – 1889: He was one of great founders of fossil botany in North America. He classified and named fossils. He described over 900 species of mosses.
James H. Logan, American Microscopist 1843 – 1917: He acquired a patent for an improvement in the microscope. He donated some species to schools as well as Gallaudet College.
James C. Marsters, American Dentist / Inventor 1924 –: His dental practice was in california. He was one of three people who worked on the development of a modem for the TTY.
Gerald M. McCarthy, American Entomologist 1858 – 1915: He was state bontanist in NC until 1893. He built a laboratory to analyze the quality of drinking water.
Thomas Meehan, American Botatanist 1826 – 1901: He was “Dean of American Horticulture.” He was honored by having a plant species named for him.
Fielding Bradford Meek, American Geologist 1817 – 1895: His discovery of fossils was exceptional.
Gideon E. Moore, American Chemist 1842 – 1895: He was well-known chemist who was willing to donate his time to make some valuable contributions to the science, especially in the line of mineral analyses.
Dr. Charles Henri Nicolle, French Nobel Laureate in Physiology and Medicine 1866 – 1936: His study of typhus outbreak led to a breakthrough in medicine. He found that body lice were carriers of the disease
Dr. Wyn Owston, British Physician (formerly Ethal Sharrad) 1919 – : She served as a doctor during World War I. She set up new clinics in North Wales. She continued to work in family planning until her retirement in 1984.
Einer Rosenkjar, American Civil Engineer: He designed the bridges along the Pan-American route in the Canal zone during the World War II. He also designed many freeways, parkways, and bridges in Los Angles, Calilfornia.
Charlotte Angas Scott, British Mathematician 1858 – 1931: She was first deaf woman to be dean of a Mathematics department. She inspired many women in mathematics over the years.
Nansie Sharpless, American Biochemist 1932 – 1987: She broke the barrier down in workforce in chemistry for students with disabilities. She worked on long-term effects of L-Dopa treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Helen Taussig, American Pediatric Cardiologist: She was involved with Dr. Alfred Blalock in his research with “blue babies”.
Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky, Russian Rocket Pioneer 1857 – 1935: He was the “Father of Astronautics.” He designed air ships and rockets. A crater was named after him on the moon.
Robert H. Weitbrecht, American Physicist 1920 – 1983: He was one of three people who helped to invent a telephone modem for the TTY.
Deaf in the Film Industry (Animators/Movie Makers/Related Jobs)
First Deaf Animator:
Mark Fisher- Born Deaf, Mark Fisher attended the Archbishop Ryan Memorial Institute in Philadelphia and later the Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf in New Jersey. He holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Gallaudet University. He is recognized as the first successful Deaf animator, working on several well-known films such as: Universal’s Land Before Time, Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Prince and the Pauper, Nest Entertainment’s The Swan Princess, Morgan Creek’s Stayed Tuned and Warner Bros’ Thumbelina and The King and I, in addition to having worked on several TV cartoons series for Universal, Warner Bros. and others as a storyboarder/revisionist. Fisher’s Elves and the Bat Beast was chosen Best Animation at the Atlantic City Film Festival, held August 4, 2001 in New Jersey.
Although Mark is skilled at drawing by hand, most animators draw using computer software. He must not only be a good artist, but he must also know how to use computer graphics and animation software. As computer software improves, Mark must master it to help him create better animation sequences efficiently.
The four-day WORLDEAF Cinema Festival 2010 at Gallaudet University marked the first time deaf filmmakers got to do what Hollywood does best: give each other awards, such as best documentary, best narrative and best film about the deaf experience by a hearing filmmaker.
More than 170 films by 132 filmmakers from 30 countries — some with audio, some not, all with subtitles — were submitted for the competition, an opportunity to showcase the best of deaf films from around the world, said honorary chair and Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, 45, the world's most famous deaf actor. She received a lifetime achievement award at the fest. One goal of deaf film fests is to spread awareness among hearing audiences of the quality of deaf films, says Gallaudet president Alan Hurwitz. Deaf people are fiercely proud of their history, language and culture, he says.
"Filmmaking allows us to preserve our language in ways that cannot be achieved through books, photographs or other art forms," Hurwitz says. "Like sign language, 'film language' involves much more than the spoken words of a script. An actor's facial expression and deliberate body movements, which are also essential elements for communicating in sign language, are critical in conveying the full meaning of a movie line or a scene."
First Deaf Filmmaker to Graduate from a Canadian Film Degree Program:
Catherine MacKinnon, the director and founder of the Toronto International Deaf Film & Arts Festival (TIDFAF) www.tidfaf.ca is Canada's first Deaf filmmaker to graduate from a Canadian film degree program. She is also the co-producer of the epic feature film Hamill based on the life of Deaf UFC fighter Matt Hamill. With tens of awards to her credit, TIDFAF remains her crowning glory. "TIDFAF breaks down stereotypical barriers by placing Deaf filmmakers, actors and crew centre stage.
Adam Bondurant, 20, is one of only about 50 deaf certified firefighters in the United States. He recently obtained State of Florida Firefighter One Competency Certification, and he is currently enrolled in the EMT program at Pensacola Junior College.
