Artefacts
What is an Artefact? In archives and museums, artefacts are defined as objects, or physical things, which have been made or shaped by humans. They are often 3-D rather than something flat like a piece of paper. The word object is often used instead of the word artefact.
When people picture a historical artefact, it is usually a flint arrow, old broach, coin, or a household item such as a bowl or vase.
The Disabled People’s Archive doesn’t have any of these, but what it does have are t-shirts, badges, banners, placards, - even a handcuff, a wind sock and a charity collection doll!
These photographs show just a few examples. Unfortunately, we have not been able to catalogue these yet, so this page is a taster of what will be available to view in the future.
We will give some brief background information about each object. Please do let us know if you have more detailed information, or any memories connected to them or their use.
There is also a detailed visual description of the photograph of each artefact, to aid accessibility. Please click on each image.
Glossary
3 Audio Cassette Tapes
About These three audio cassette tapes are from the 1990s. Although the music itself is not an artefact, the original cassette tapes are. Go to audio to hear a sample of Sue Napolitano and Ian Stanton. The cassette tapes are, from left to right: 'Choices and Rights’, music by Johnny Crescendo. ‘A Dangerous Woman’, poetry by Sue Napolitano. ‘Shrinkin’ Man’, music by Ian Stanton. Description A...
T-shirt: Deaf Power
About This Deaf Power T-shirt is from campaigns for Deaf People’s rights. There is a strong history of Deaf people campaigning for rights, promoting the value of, and pride in, Deaf people’s culture. Description A white T-shirt with an image in red. Two circles, one inside the other. The word Deaf follows the shape of the top of the circle, the word Power does...
T-shirt: Nothing About Us Without Us - DAN
About The Disabled People’s Direct Action Network, DAN, created a number of campaign t-shirts. This T-shirt is from their ‘Blair’s Blood’ protest against benefit cuts on 22 December 1997, in London at the Downing Street gates. Description A white T-shirt with three lines of writing in block capitals plus an image. From top to bottom it shows: ‘Nothing About Us’ in small black...
Badge: Rights for Disabled People Now!
About The Rights Now Group and campaign was launched in 1992 by the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People. It was a development from Voluntary Organisations for Anti-Discrimination Legislation, which began in the mid 1980s. 50 organisations of and for disabled people were in Rights Now, campaigning and lobbying for anti-discrimination legislation. Description The badge is in 3 sections, top to...
T-shirt: Sameena & Kristine Must Stay
About This campaign was to stop the deportation of Sameena & Kristine, two young Deaf women of Romani descent who faced persecution if deported back to the Ukraine. Description A white T-shirt with the words ‘Sameena & Kristine must stay’ in black block capitals. Below these is a silhouetted black and white photograph of two young women. The shape of their heads...
Collection Doll, Spastics Society
About This collection doll, which is about 3 feet, or 1 metre tall, was ‘borrowed’ by a GMCDP member from a street in Chester when they were doing a piece of work with young disabled people in that city. It was used to demonstrate the type of imagery used by charities to raise money. The doll was then donated to...
Handcuff: ADAPT Protest, USA - 1998
About Non-violent Direct Action has been a necessary and important tactic used by disabled people to draw much needed media and government attention to our exclusion from many aspects of society. This half of a handcuff was used in October 1998, to attach a protestor to the door of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington DC, USA....
Commemorative Stamps: International Year of Disabled People 1981
About The United Nations set 1981 as the International Year of Disabled People. These commemorative stamps, sold by Royal Mail, were designed by John Gibbs Description A presentation wallet of stamps. On the left, the outside of the wallet has a brown background with white writing: ‘The International Year of Disabled People 1981’ next to a wheelchair symbol, with ‘British Post Office...
Banner: Save the Independent Living Fund.
About Made with cotton and felt, the banner was designed by Brian Hilton and hand-made by Wadiha Ahmed in 2014. It was used extensively in the ‘Save the Independent Living Fund’ campaign. This photo shows the banner being held up by protestors outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Description Landscape colour photo of the ‘Save the ILF’ banner being lifted...
Badge: Free Our People - DAN
About This badge was designed and used for the Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) ‘Free Our People’ campaign, which was launched in 1999. The campaign highlighted the fact that many disabled people were still forced to live in residential homes because of a lack of accessible housing, personal assistance and other support. Description A white badge. In the middle is a...
T-shirt: BCODP DPI
About This T-shirt is from joint work between the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People (BCODP) and Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI). Description A white T-shirt. In the centre is a red stylised globe surrounded by 7 broken red stripes stretching outwards in different directions. Wrapped around the edges of the stripes are the words ‘Disabled Peoples International’ in black block capitals....
Disabled Persons Discretionary Parking Permit
About The disabled persons discretionary parking permit, which used to be called the Orange Badge, is what came before the current permit, known as the Blue Badge. It is used to show that someone is entitled to park in a designated parking space or other on-street parking. Description A disabled persons discretionary parking permit inside a plastic wallet. The permit is on...