Junius Wilson Remembered

I had the opportunity yesterday to hear a very moving talk by Susan Burch, Associate Professor of History at Gallaudet University.  She spoke at The Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law and expertly unfolded the story of Junius Wilson, a deaf man from North Carolina who was falsely charged with attempted rape in the early 1920's.

Oh but there were so many other complications.  Junius Wilson was deaf and his jailer, unable to communicate with him announced that his prisoner was likely a lunatic.  He was declared insane and sent to an asylum for African-American people.

Oh but it gets worse: Junius Wilson was then castrated under the eugenics laws that were passed in North Carolina and in many other states in the 1920's.  In effect, he spent over 70 years of his adult life living without language in an institution where he obviously didn't belong.  He was eventually aided by a young attorney from Chapel Hill who stumbled on his case and filed a lawsuit for his release.

Oh but it gets worse in some regards.  The State of North Carolina felt that Mr. Wilson shouldn't actually be allowed to leave the grounds of the hospital.  They built a cottage for him and allowed that this would be his own house.  But of course they didn't give him a key.

Mr. Wilson died in 2004 and at the time of his death he was well into his 90's.

Professor Burch has co-written a book about Mr. Wilson's life with the noted deaf historian Hannah Joyner which will be published early next year by the University of North Carolina Press.  Stay tuned for more on this publication.

S.K.

P.S.  Penny L. Richards has more information on this incredible story, as well as very interesting links worth following on her blog Disability Studies, Temple University.

Image at right borrowed from DeafLife Magazine

Comments

[Penny]

Yes, stay tuned--the book is going to be extraordinary. Really, this story has so many layers and twists that it requires every page of a book to tell it all and do some justice.

[Blue]

I'm glad someone got to go and hear the talk and describe it. I'm anxiously waiting for the book.