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About the League
 
History
A revolutionary idea—independent living.
As the civil rights movement began sweeping the country in the late 1960s and early 70s, the independent living movement for those with disabilities was also gaining ground.
Spearheaded by Ed Roberts, a student at the University of California at Berkeley, the movement was based on a revolutionary idea—taking charge of your own life through self-empowerment and consumer control. It's the founding aspiration for all the League of Human Dignity's activities.
Midwesterners are known for taking their time accepting new ideas and concepts. But we are proud to say this was not the case with disability rights. Thanks to the vision of our founders, the League of Human Dignity was active in the early days of the disability rights revolution.
It all started with a newspaper ad...
Discontent with the barriers facing those with disabilities in 1971, Jean Scanlon placed a classified ad in a Lincoln, Nebraska, newspaper hoping to find others with similar concerns.
She was pleasantly surprised when more than a dozen responded to her request to join forces. The group began working to remove barriers, coordinate community services, and improve public transportation—eventually founding the League of Human Dignity.
This grassroots effort has expanded to 62 counties throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. We now serve thousands of consumers through our Centers for Independent Living in Lincoln, Norfolk, Omaha, Council Bluffs, and our Panhandle Medicaid Waiver Office in Scottsbluff.
The League of Human Dignity is a nonprofit, consumer-controlled, nonresidential, community-based organization promoting a more independent lifestyle for those with disabilities.
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