At 7:30 a.m. on April 28, 1977, then-HEW Secretary Joseph A. Califano Jr. signed the 504 regulation into effect.
The immediate effects were that airports, public libraries and other programs receiving federal funds became accessible, while colleges and universities revamped every aspect of their services -- from admissions through academics and even dorms and team sports -- and, of course, the long-range effects include the Americans with Disabilities Act itself. No one can read the legislative history of the ADA without being impressed that the precedents set by 504, plus the case histories, made a deep impression on Congress. Members were comforted that if indeed they passed ADA, the world would not end.
Thank you to those pioneers who had the courage to advocate for passage of this important provision under the Rehabilitation Act and then to press onward until regulations were written and implemented.