Who is Harriet McBryde Johnson?
Disability activist Harriet McBryde Johnson was born 8 July 1957 and passed away on 4 June 2008. In one interview, she stated her goal was to help people understand that “The presence or absence of a disability doesn’t predict quality of life.” Harriet McBryde Johnson’s disability was the result of a congenital neuromuscular disorder which left her in a wheelchair throughout her life and unable to dress or bathe without assistance. As a child, she attended special education classes until she was asked to leave at the age of 13 after beginning a campaign to have the head teacher fired. Her parents found a private high school for her to attend, where she excelled academically. She later when on to earn a B.S. in history from Charleston Southern University, a Master’s in Public Administration from the College of Charleston, and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina. A prolific writer, Harriet McBryde Johnson used her gift with words to inform the public of what it is like to live w
