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The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is a nation wide organisation in the United States. It is an organisation mainly made up of blind and visually-impaired people who want to achieve independence and equality (although there are many sighted members with common aims).
History
The American Council of the Blind was formed out of the dissolution of the Braille Free Press Association in 1961. Braille Free Press had been set up in 1959 and had probably been the widest-read publication for the blind. It was highly critical of the American Foundation for the Blind, and the ACB was formed as an alternative to it. The ACB was also very critical of the National Federation of the Blind which many of its first members had also originally belonged to, and relations between these two organizations have been strained since then, so much so that they have put their conventions at the same time some years in order to prevent people from being active in both organizations.
Membership
The ACB says its membership is in the "tens of thousands". Most of the membership came from affiliate organisations of which there are 71, although there are many direct members. Membership is open to any citizen/resident of the USA as well as interested peoples in other countries. The ACB says it "welcomes diversity" in its membership and it "is not restricted in any way." Each year, many of its members gather in a major American city for a convention. In 2005 it was held in Las Vegas, Nevada and in 2006 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Actions
The ACB has worked towards full civil rights for the blind and has acted to achieve this. It prefers to act through negotiations but its members have taken part in demonstrations, marches, and other public acts to draw attention to the problem. Representatives from the ACB took part in the Solidarity March for labor and the national march in support of the Equal Rights Amendment for women. They have marched with other disability rights groups down Pennsylvania Avenue in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The organization gives out scholarships to college students each year.
References
ACB Homepage
See also
Blindness organizations
"American Council of the Blind"