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When Gallaudet alum Nyle DiMarco, ’13, began developing his new documentary, Deaf President Now!, he contacted the Gallaudet University Archives to ask if they had any historical items to share.

Archives Director Jim McCarthy laughed.

“Of course, we had plenty,” Jim recalls. “After talking with Nyle, there was no question whether or not Archives would be involved. It worked out quickly, and we started sharing materials.”

Deaf President Now! will premiere on January 28 at the Sundance Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. The film captures the Deaf President Now (DPN) protests in 1988 through interviews and archival footage. It was made possible with the help of the Gallaudet Archives, a rich library of over 2,000 historical items. The Archives library captures not only Gallaudet history, but also the history of the Deaf community.

Jim loves seeing new Gallaudet students experience the Archives for the first time. “My favorite part of this job is connecting with the community,” he says. “Gallaudet has an important role in American Deaf history. It’s not just Gallaudet history. It’s my history. My daughter’s history. Your history, too.”

A wide photo of library shelves. On the top of the shelves are photos of the Deaf President Now protests. In the middle, Archivist Jim McCarthy is looking and pointing up at one of the photos.

After the Gallaudet Archives staff agreed to support the film, executive producers from award-winning Concordia Studios flew to Washington, D.C. The Archives team brought out all the DPN materials they had. Together, archivists and producers spent a week going through old memorabilia, photos, and hundreds of hours of video footage.

The footage included captures of the DPN protests in action, as well as some negotiations that happened behind closed doors between the protest leaders and Gallaudet administration. While it was fascinating, the sheer amount of footage was too much for even a dedicated historian like Jim. “I didn’t watch all of it. I have a full-time job!”

After Concordia Studios identified the materials they wanted to use in the film, the Archives team carefully packed it up and shipped it across the country to Los Angeles, where the film was produced. In Los Angeles, a dedicated archivist scanned photos and converted old footage into digital files, then shipped everything back to Washington, D.C. The back-and-forth continued for over a year. 

“We really cherish our collection,” Jim says. “Sending so much of it cross-country required a lot of trust. We had to weigh the risks and benefits to the community. It was a hard decision to make. I’m proud of what we did.”

Jim felt relieved when he realized the level of detail Nyle and the producers were seeking. “They asked us lots of questions, like, ‘What type of TTY was used in 1988? What brand? What did it look like?’” The Archives team scoured old DPN photos and found some that showed a TTY in detail. “The producers wanted that specific TTY, and we had it in our collection,” Jim says. It was shipped to Los Angeles for display in the film. “When you watch the film, the items in it are the real deal.”

It wasn’t easy, but thanks to the Gallaudet Archives staff, the entire world will soon see the trailblazing impact of Deaf President Now. How does Jim feel now? 

“One and a half years of work! I’m looking forward to watching the movie!”


Curious about the Gallaudet Archives? Check out the Archives website, which includes an online digital collection of materials. You can also subscribe to their monthly newsletter, which includes fun facts about Gallaudet and Deaf history.

Deaf President Now! is available to watch online through the Sundance Film Festival, January 30 to February 3. There will be in-person screenings at the festival in Utah. Click here to buy online or in-person tickets.

AppleTV+ will stream Deaf President Now! at a later date. For updates, make sure to follow @GallaudetU on social media.

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