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National Deaf Life Museum
Celebrating 150 Years!
Visionary leaders: Fifteen extraordinary Gallaudet alumni
Chapel Hall
(202) 250-2235
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Fifteen extraordinary Gallaudet alumni were chosen to be honored each month as Gallaudet University celebrated its sesquicentennial anniversary entitled, Celebrating 150 Years of Visionary Leadership, from September 2013 to November 2014.
These individuals were nominated by the community and a selection committee of students, faculty, alumni, and staff chose the final Visionary Leaders. Candidates had to have received an undergraduate degree from the university and could not be a current faculty or staff member or a current or former university president. Candidates also must have made a significant impact on society, in a major field of study or research, culture or the arts, recognition of American Sign Language, deaf education or advocacy.
September 2013 Jack R. Gannon Class of 1959
Gannon wrote several books about deaf history, Deaf Culture, and the Deaf President Now movement, including Deaf Heritage: A Narrative History of Deaf America. Read more about Jack Gannon.
October 2013 Arthur Kruger Class of 1933
Founded the American Athletic Association of the Deaf and served as its first president. Kruger was instrumental in getting the U.S. to participate in what is now known as the Deaflympics. Read more about Arthur Kruger
November 2013 Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen Class of 1992
First deaf member of Parliament in South Africa. Newhoudt-Druchen is Vice President of the World Federation of the Deaf. Read more about Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen.
December 2013 David Peikoff Class of 1929
Helped raise $500,000 for the Gallaudet College Alumni Association Centennial Fund in the 1960s. The money was used to build an Alumni House, financial assistance for deaf students of doctoral degrees, and promoting cultural activities for deaf people. Read more about David Peikoff.
January 2014 Alice Hagemeyer Class of 1957
Library activist who has focused on improving library services to the deaf community, encouraging deaf people to use public library resources, and enhancing awareness of deaf history, language, and culture in libraries. Read more about Alice Hagemeyer.
February 2014 Glenn Anderson Class of 1968
First deaf African-American in the U.S. to earn a doctorate degree. Anderson also served as the second deaf chair of the Board of Trustees. Read more about Glenn Anderson
March 2014 Gertrude Galloway Class of 1951
First female president of National Association of the Deaf and Conference of the Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). Read more about Gertrude Galloway
April 2014 Olof Hanson Class of 1886
Notable architect and advocate who designed buildings with deaf sensibilities in mind, such as the need for visual access. Hanson also advocated for deaf people to take the civil service test for government employment. Read more about Olof Hanson
May 2014 Andrew Foster Class of 1954
First African-American to graduate from Gallaudet. Foster established more than 30 schools for the deaf around Africa. Read more about Andrew Foster
June 2014 Agatha Tiegel Hanson Class of 1893
First deaf woman to graduate with a four-year degree and served as valedictorian. Hanson organized a women’s secret society and served as its first president. Read more about Agatha Tiegel Hanson
July 2014 George Veditz Class of 1884
Former president of National Association of the Deaf and was an advocate for the preservation of sign language, becoming one of the first people to film ASL. Read more about George Veditz.
August 2014 Jerald Jordan Class of 1948
Longtime chair of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf who worked closely with the International Olympic Committee on behalf of deaf athletes. Read more about Jerald Jordan.
September 2014 John Lopez Class of 1966
Advocate for the Hispanic deaf community. Lopez was involved with the National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. and the 9-1-1 Access Committee which helped make emergency numbers accessible to people who use TTYs and other visual communication devices. Read more about John Lopez.
October 2014 Bernard Bragg Class of 1952
Professional actor, producer, director, playwright, mime, and author who helped establish the National Theatre of the Deaf. Read more about Bernard Bragg.
November 2014 Boyce Williams Class of 1932
Instrumental in pioneering initiatives to benefit deaf clients at the Rehabilitation Services Administration. He also served as director of the Federal Office on Deafness and Communicative Disorders. Read more about Boyce Williams.
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The Honorable Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, a Gallaudet alumna who in 1999 became the first deaf woman to be elected to the South African Parliament, has been selected as Gallaudet University's Visionary Leader for November in recognition of her extensive advocacy efforts for both the deaf and...
Resource Type: History
Olof Hanson, 1886 & G-1889, believed to be America's first deaf architect, and a far-thinking leader who in the early 20th century was a champion for many of the same civil rights for deaf people that activists continue to fight for today, is Gallaudet's Visionary...
John Lopez, '66, is Gallaudet University's Visionary Leader for September 2014. Known as a leader and an advocate of the deaf and Hispanic communities, Lopez contributed to making strides in telecommunications laws, primarily by working to improve access to 911 emergency services. Lopez was born...
Jerald "JJ" Jordan, '48 and Gallaudet's Visionary Leader for August, is remembered for his charisma and exceptional enthusiasm for deaf sports, which took him around the world. Throughout his life and professional career, he was dedicated to advancement of international deaf athletes and deaf sport...
Jack R. Gannon, '59, is Visionary Leader of the month for September 2013. Gannon is a well-known author, educator, historian, and museum curator. Gannon was born in West Plains, Mo., in 1936 and became deaf at 8 years old due to spinal meningitis. He graduated...
Dr. Glenn B. Anderson, '68, has attained an array of ground-breaking achievements that have benefited many people-deaf and hearing as well as those with disabilities-any of which warrant his recognition as Gallaudet's Visionary Leader for the month of February In addition, as a deaf African...
Women's Rights Advocate. Activist. Civic Leader. Educator. Pioneer. All of these titles apply to Dr. Gertrude Scott Galloway, '51. Combined, they more than qualify her as Gallaudet's Visionary Leader for the month of March. Beginning her career in a decade where the abilities of deaf...
Gallaudet University has named activist and writer George W. Veditz, 1884 & G-1887, as July's Visionary Leader. While he is best known for his efforts to preserve and nurture sign language by capturing it on film, Veditz's many contributions to the deaf community changed the...
Activist, organizer, scholarship founder, fundraiser, advocate, journalist, and leader are all words that describe the late David Peikoff, '29, who served the U.S. and Canadian deaf communities for 70 years. In recognition of his accomplishments, Peikoff has been selected as Gallaudet's Visionary Leader for December....
For 38 years, Boyce R. Williams, '32 & H-'58, dedicated his career in government to advance specialized programs and services for deaf and hard of hearing people. As the first deaf man to achieve an administrative position in federal government, he is an important figure...
An actor, poet, writer, director, artist, and teacher, Bernard Bragg, '52, is a true arts leader. As October's Visionary Leader, he is regarded as a passionate and energetic trailblazer for deaf people in the national and international arts communities. Bragg was born in 1928 in...
The late Arthur "Art" A. Kruger, '33, a pioneer in the field of deaf sports, has been selected as Gallaudet's Visionary Leader for October. Known as the Father of the American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD), predecessor of the U.S. Deaf Sports Federation (USDSF),...
Andrew Foster, '54, the Visionary Leader being honored for the month of May, was the first African American to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gallaudet. Many regard Foster as the "father of deaf education in Africa" because he went on to establish 32...
Alice Lougee Hagemeyer, '57, a longtime advocate for equal access to library services for the deaf community, is Gallaudet's Visionary Leader for January. Hagemeyer worked for the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) from the time she graduated from Gallaudet until 1991-the last 15 years...
This June, Gallaudet continues its Visionary Leader Series celebrating 1893 graduate Agatha Tiegel Hanson. The first woman to graduate from Gallaudet with a four-year degree and the first woman to serve as class valedictorian is an important leader in both deaf and women's history. Agatha...