Deaf Clubs

What are they? Deaf Clubs were places where Deaf people could gather together to chat and socialize on a day to day basis. They were deeply ingrained into Deaf Culture. Much of ASL literature that can be found in sign language books, ABC Stories, popular narratives, even styles of performance, can be traced back to Deaf club performances.

In the beginning... They were established because of the solitary lives most Deaf people led during the 1920’s-50’s. Many Deaf people were working jobs with no other Deaf people around. Important communication tools were unavailable and Deaf people were expected to perform their mindless assembly line job. The Deaf Club was a place to go and blow off steam, where everyone spoke the same language and was ready for fun.

What did they do? They gave a place where Deaf people could go to attend performances by Deaf comedians, plays, lectures, film screenings, and holiday parties. They would also get caught up on news and conduct business and arrange for services before phones were practical. Many Deaf Clubs sponsored athletic teams.

Employment Opportunities Employment opportunities changed a lot during WWII, and Deaf people moved to those jobs. Many companies would hire many Deaf people and they were less isolated. Government organizations opened employment opportunities to Deaf people. They were able to become teachers, counselors, and mental health professionals.

In the end... In the 1960’s Deaf Clubs began to decline. As more and more Deaf people started working in white collar jobs such as teaching, and the civil rights movement insisted to America that everyone deserved to be treated equally, Deaf people were not so isolated in the workplace. The invention of the TTY in the 70’s and the wider use of Closed Captioning put the final nails in the Deaf Club coffin. Deaf people no longer needed the Clubs for entertainment, not to conduct business or arrange for services.

Technology It is often argued that the closing of clubs led to a sharp increase in use of these technologies, and Deaf people turned to devices to carry out what had previously been done face-to-face. Deaf people today are reaching friends and communicating with “pagers, e-mail, and voice relay all developed within the last five years, long after most clubs had already closed.” What are Deaf people using NOW to communicate?

What’s happening now? Today there are a select few Deaf Clubs still open. They are mostly in the midwest and south. However, if you walk into one it will be filled with older people and like walking back in time.

What do we have now? Sanderson Center https://www.usor.utah.gov/dhh

Deaf Clubs in Europe Deaf clubs in Europe have experienced decline as well, but not as dramatically. Many of them are starting to close. http://limpingchicken.com/2014/01/30/john- smith-why-deaf-clubs-matter-and-what-they- give-you-that-deaf-pub-events-cant/