Gunnar (b. 1909) AND Rosemary Ferguson DYBWAD (1910-1992)

Gunnar and Rosemary DYBWAD’s collection of books, articles and journals formed the nucleus of the collection that became the Samuel G. Howe Library.  Over many decades their work in the area of civil rights furthered the cause of people with developmental disabilities throughout the world.  Together they helped found the International League of Societies for the Mentally Handicapped, now known as Inclusion International.

Rosemary was a pioneer and a mentor of the parent movement.  She edited three editions of the International Directory of Mental Retardation Resources. 

Gunnar was named the Executive Director of the Child Study Association of America in 1951 and of the Association for Retarded Children (now called the Arc) from 1957 until 1963 and President of the International League of Societies for Persons with Mental Handicap (1978-1982).  He also was a Special Assistant on Mental Retardation to President Kennedy and a consultant to the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation.  Dr. Dybwad has played a major role in several court cases, in particular PARC v. Pennsylvania and the Pennhurst State School case.  In 1967 he became a professor of human development at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and in 1977 he became professor emeritus.  He continues to advise the disability rights movement and is very closely associated with self-advocates, to whom he is the “the grandfather” of the rights to education and community life.

The files and books of the Dybwad Collection reflect this life-long devotion to furthering the causes of social justice.   There are separate files devoted to SELF-ADVOCACY, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD, ARC, HISTORY OF MENTAL RETARDATION, THE PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE ON MENTAL RETARDATION and the STATES.  The later has files from all of the fifty states and contains information on state plans, local ARC organizations, legislation, etc.

There are guides to each of these collections.

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