Celebrating Black Disability History

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:28:14 -0500

This Black History Month, every Thursday, the Accessibility & Disability Services department invites you to take a trip down memory lane. Throughout the month, we will highlight the amazing contributions, resilience, and innovation of Black disabled individuals and Black inventors who have shaped history, culture, and society. Each week, we will honor their stories, celebrate their achievements, and recognize the powerful impact of disability and Black excellence across generations.

Many people who had never seen or heard of the "Crip Walk" before were introduced to it during rapper Kendrick Lamar's 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, when tennis star Serena Williams performed the dance onstage. While the dance received attention for its supposed links to gang culture, its true history is often misunderstood and unknown. The dance originally had nothing to do with gangs, and only gained that association later during the '70s.

The Crip Walk was originally created by Henry "Crip" Heard, a Black double amputee dancer. After losing his right arm and leg as a teenager, Heard refused to be defined by pity or limitation. Instead, he relearned to dance and developed a new style using his strength, balance, and tap-dancing skills.

He chose to reclaim the word "crip" as his stage name, turning a derogatory term into a symbol of pride and confidence. Through innovative footwork and powerful movement, he created a dance that highlighted both his talent and his unique body.

During the 1940s and 1950s, Henry Heard became a popular performer in clubs across the United States and Canada. He appeared on television and in films and was celebrated in the Black press at a time when opportunities for Black entertainers, especially disabled ones, were extremely limited. His success challenged stereotypes about disability and Black excellence.

Over time, Heard's contributions were overshadowed, and the dance became disconnected from its original roots. Today, the "Crip Walk" is often discussed without recognizing its important origin or the disabled Black artist who created it. Week 1 reminds us of the importance of honoring Henry "Crip" Heard and uplifting the voices of Black disabled innovators whose work has shaped culture but has too often been erased.
Sources:

Black Disabled History of the Crip Walk — Spoony

Cherese Jackson, The Crip Walk: A Dance Rooted in Black Disabled History, https://blacklistedsaint.substack.com/p/the-crip-walk-a-dance-rooted-in-black

Meisha Rosenberg, Overlooked No More: Henry Heard, Tap Dancer and Advocate for People with Disabilities, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/obituaries/henry-heard-overlooked.html