The True Story Behind Being Heumann and the Longest Sit-In in U.S. History

“Like Dog Day Afternoon with disabled people.” This is how director Siân Heder describes a portion of disability rights activist Judy Heumann’s memoir concerning the enforcement of Section 504, an aspect of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. This provision meant that people could not discriminate against anyone with disabilities in public buildings, from schools to universities, hospitals to the halls of government. It also meant those buildings had to be compliant and physically accessible to disabled people. But five years later, in 1977, Section 504 was still not enforced, and Heumann was not going to let that stand.The year before, newly elected President Jimmy Carter had promised to enforce Section 504, but his secretary of health, education and welfare, Joseph Califano, said he needed more time to review it. Exasperated and furious over their inaction, Heumann and a group of disability activists staged a sit-in at the San Francisco Health, Education and Welfare federal building on Apr 5, 1977. It was the longest occupation of a federal building in U.S. history.Heder, whose previous film CODA won the Oscar for Best Picture, has turned that portion of Heumann’s story into the cinemat...