Hugh Gallagher (advocate)

Hugh Gallagher (advocate)

Hugh Gallagher (October 17, 1932-2004) was an author & international disability advocate. He was born in Palo Alto, California, though he grew up in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C..

Hugh, who contracted polio at age 19, was considered by many to be the “Grandfather” of the disability movement for having drafted and shepherded into law the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, which required that buildings built with federal funds be made accessible to all.

Bob Dole wrote, "Hugh's most outstanding contribution to the quality of life of people with disabilities was to successfully place disability on the agenda of the Congress for the first time."

The Hugh Gallagher Award was created by Peter Kovler to commemorate the significant contributions of Hugh Gallagher, who used his writing to educate the public about injustices, to promote understanding among diverse populations and to draw people into the choice-in-dying movement. The Award is given annually by Compassion & Choices.

While Hugh Gallagher accomplished much during his lifetime to advance the rights of individuals with disabilities, he was and remains a highly controversial figure within the disability rights movement due to his participation in the choice-in-dying movement.