When is Disability Pride Month?
Disability Pride Month 2027
Thu, Jul 1, 2027 – Sat, Jul 31, 2027
The whole of July. That's in 270 days.
until Disability Pride Month begins, in your time zone
Disability Pride Month celebrates disabled people's identities, culture and history, and the ongoing fight for equal access and civil rights. It is held in July to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed on July 26, 1990.
About Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month pushes back on the idea that disability is something to hide or simply overcome. It treats disability as a natural part of human diversity, celebrates disabled people's achievements, art and community, and draws attention to the barriers that remain in work, transportation, housing, health care and public life. The CDC estimates that more than one in four US adults has some type of disability.
The month centers on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which President George H. W. Bush signed on the South Lawn of the White House on July 26, 1990. The National Archives calls it the world's first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities; it bars discrimination in employment, government services, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications. That October, Boston held what is widely described as the first Disability Pride Day.
The monthlong observance came later, from local governments rather than Congress. In 2015, for the ADA's 25th anniversary, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio designated July as Disability Pride Month, and the city held its first Disability Pride Parade on July 12, 2015. Other cities and states have since joined in. Members of Congress have introduced bipartisan resolutions recognizing July as Disability Pride Month, but their sponsors have noted that the federal government has not formally recognized it.
The Disability Pride flag, created in 2019 by writer Ann Magill, is widely flown during the month. After feedback that its original zigzag design could trigger symptoms in people with visually triggered disabilities, it was redesigned in 2021 with straight stripes and muted colors. Its five colored stripes stand for physical, neurodivergent, invisible and undiagnosed, psychiatric, and sensory disabilities.
Sources: ADA.gov archive: Remarks of President George H. W. Bush at the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, National Archives: ADA 25th anniversary, NYC Office of the Mayor: Mayor de Blasio Designates July Disability Pride Month (2015), Columbia University Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center: History of the Disability Pride Flag, CDC: Disability Impacts All of Us. How we check dates.
How to mark Disability Pride Month
- Read memoirs or essays by disabled writers, or watch a documentary about the disability rights movement.
- Check your own events, websites and documents for accessibility: add captions to videos, alt text to images and clear directions to step-free entrances.
- Attend a local Disability Pride parade or festival, or mark the ADA anniversary on July 26.
- Learn about earlier milestones in the movement, such as the 1977 Section 504 sit-ins that pressed the federal government to enforce disability rights rules.
- Ask disabled colleagues and friends which barriers they run into, and fix the ones within your control.
Disability Pride Month dates
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Tue, Jul 1 – Thu, Jul 31 |
| 2026 | Wed, Jul 1 – Fri, Jul 31 |
| 2027 | Thu, Jul 1 – Sat, Jul 31 |
| 2028 | Sat, Jul 1 – Mon, Jul 31 |
| 2029 | Sun, Jul 1 – Tue, Jul 31 |
| 2030 | Mon, Jul 1 – Wed, Jul 31 |
| 2031 | Tue, Jul 1 – Thu, Jul 31 |
Related days
Explore
Frequently asked questions
When is Disability Pride Month 2027?
Disability Pride Month 2027 is Thu, Jul 1, 2027 – Sat, Jul 31, 2027. It falls on the whole of July. In 2028, it is on Saturday, July 1, 2028.
Why is Disability Pride Month in July?
July is the anniversary month of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which President George H. W. Bush signed on July 26, 1990.
Is Disability Pride Month federally recognized?
Not formally. It is recognized by cities such as New York, by some states and by advocacy groups, and bipartisan resolutions to recognize it have been introduced in Congress.
Is Disability Pride Month a public holiday?
No. Disability Pride Month is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.