On President's Day, many people think of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both are important figures in American history and have birthdays in February, but did you know they also had disabilities while serving in office?
On President's Day, many people think of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both are important figures in American history and have birthdays in February, but did you know they also had disabilities while serving in office?
According to the Employer Assistance and Resource Network, Washington had trouble with grammar and spelling and is thought to have had some sort of learning disability. And researchers say Lincoln coped with severe depression and was thought to have Marfan syndrome.
Many other U.S. presidents coped with visible and non-visible disabilities. The list of former U.S. presidents with disabilities includes James Madison (epilepsy), Franklin Delano Roosevelt (polio) and John F. Kennedy (chronic back pain). Read more about their accomplishments in the White House here.
Stories of these presidents show how people with disabilities are assets to our country, communities and the workforce.
Are you ready to work? The Ticket to Work program has helped people with disabilities find the opportunities, services and support they need to become and remain employed. Many have earned their way off Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, and created better futures for themselves and their families.
To talk to someone about your situation and how the Ticket to Work program can help, call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
*Image above is unchanged via Gage Skidmore. View Creative Commons license here.
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