User:Mxxrpp/History of sign language

Origin of Sign Language
The history of American Sign Language (ASL) began in 1814 with the introduction of deaf education in the United States. Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, wanted to teach his neighbor's deaf daughter, Alice Cogswell, how to communicate. He traveled to Europe to learn the best educational methods and met Abbe Sicard, Jean Massieu, and Laurent Clerc. Gallaudet and Clerc established the American School for the Deaf in 1817 in Connecticut, which became the first public free deaf school in the US. The school grew quickly, and ASL developed from a combination of home signs brought by students and French Sign Language that Gallaudet learned from Clerc.

The number of deaf Americans living in the country was very small in the early 1800s. In order to communicate, the deaf communities created numerous systems of signing at this time since there was no standard sign language. These sign systems became known as Old American Sign Language as a result of these sign systems. There is a connection between this language and the American Sign Language we use today.

Edward Gallaudet who Is the son of Thomas Gallaudet, continued his father's legacy in deaf education after his death in 1851. His first teaching job was at Hartford's American School for the Deaf. A deaf college was Edward's dream, and in 1857, he was became the superintendent of the Columbia Institution in Washington, D.C., for the Deaf and Blind. The Columbia Institute was granted college degrees in 1864 after Edward presented his idea for a deaf college to Congress.

In 1864, Columbia Institute's college division (the National Deaf-Mute Institute) was founded and opened for the first time. A college for the deaf was established here for the first time. To honor Thomas Gallaudet, the college was renamed Gallaudet College in 1893. As of 1986, the school is now known as Gallaudet University. There is only one deaf university in the world, Gallaudet University, and it was founded in 1883 in Washington, D.C.

Creation of the Sign Language Alphabet
The article states that ASL originated in the United States and is distinct from English, although fingerspelling is sometimes used to spell out English words. It emphasizes the importance of exposing deaf or hard-of-hearing children to language at an early age. As described in this historical account of ASL's manual alphabet (or other sign languages' representations) by the University of Tartu, fingerspelling was developed by monks in the seventh century and was used to represent speech without having to speak. Due to the monks' contact with the deaf children they tutored during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, their manual alphabet underwent a substantial change as a result of their interactions with the deaf children. During the course of this article, we examine the evolution of the manual alphabet and how it has evolved over time.

American Sign Language
ASL is used by many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in North America and is also used by some hearing people. ASL originated in the United States and is distinct from English, although fingerspelling is sometimes used to spell out English words. It emphasizes the importance of exposing deaf or hard-of-hearing children to language at an early age for their language and social development. There is currently research on ASL in areas such as grammar, development, and use when spoken language access is compromised. In the United States newborn babies in the United States are screened for hearing before leaving the hospital.

Black and Deaf In America
The article "Black and Deaf in America: Are We That Different?" examines the contributions of black Deaf individuals to the scholarly and public history from the 1980s to the present. The authors Ernest Hairston and Linwood Smith emphasize the importance of recognizing and appreciating the diverse history of Deaf people of color. The authors discuss the formation of the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) in the 1980s and its impact in fostering black Deaf leadership, scholarship, artistry, and entrepreneurship. In the 1990s, the historical records and documents of the NBDA were preserved at Gallaudet University, ensuring access for future scholars interested in researching NBDA history and advocacy. A collaboration between Gallaudet University and the black Deaf community in the completion of the Gallaudet University Kellogg Conference Hotel (GUKCH) in 1994. The article suggests that the contributions of black Deaf individuals have significantly enriched the scholarly and public history of the Deaf community. It highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating the diverse experiences and contributions of Deaf people of color.

References:

 * Anderson, Glenn B. 2016. Assessing Black Deaf History: 1980s to the Present< https://www.proquest.com/docview/1841967022?pq-origsite=primo&accountid=14171 >.


 * Jay, Michelle. startasl. 14 July 2023. History of American Sign Language < https://www.startasl.com/history-of-american-sign-language/ >.


 * Padden, Carol A. proquest. Fall 2003. How the Alphabet Came to Be Used in a Sign Language< https://sunypur.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01SUNY_PUR/1npol0k/cdi_proquest_miscellaneous_85576379 >.


 * Writers, NIDCD. NIDCD.gov. 29 October 2021. American Sign Language < https://www.startasl.com/history-of-american-sign-language/ >.