The Blindness Revolution

Jernigan in His Own Words

This book recounts the dramatic story of the transformation of the Iowa Commission for the Blind from a verifiably ineffective service agency to perhaps the most outstanding and effective adult service program in the nation in the span of 10 short years. What happened in Iowa was revolutionary, and the character of work with the blind in America and around the world was altered forever—the alternative civil rightsbased service model worked. Using Kenneth Jernigan's own writings of Board meeting minutes, reports, and letters, I present the details of the remarkable story from an activist's point of view. This book will certainly be of interest to those who work in the field of blindness, particularly those who work in agencies serving the blind, but this book is more than just a study in public administration. Omvig's research fills in significant gaps in the history of the blind movement and offers the reader a frontrow seat to a pivotal moment in blind history. — Brian Miller, University of Iowa