By Lynn Venhaus
Angry about being dismissed, ignored and treated differently, deaf students had enough after yet another example of prejudice, so 37 years ago, they rose up in unison and forced the hearing world to listen.
The documentary “Deaf President Now!” is a fascinating look back at a little-known civil rights movement that had lasting impact for people with disabilities. Filmmakers Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim, as passionate as the student leaders they interviewed, recount a tumultuous time at Gallaudet University in 1988.
The student-led protest resulted in a turning point at the school, established in 1864 – the only U.S. college with a total deaf/hard of hearing student population — but also for deaf rights and representation, and in a broader sense, changes for others considered ‘disabled.’
The protests began after the Gallaudet board of trustees appointed a hearing person who did not know sign language, Elisabeth Zinser, as the next president. Two deaf candidates were finalists as well — Irving King Jordan, a dean at the school, and Harvey J. Corson, director at the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn.
The students demanded that its first deaf president be appointed instead and shut down the campus for a week, from March 6 to 13.
The case gained national media attention after the new president, who had been president at University of Idaho, and Greg Hlibok, the leader of the student revolt, appeared on ABC’s “Nightline” – and afterwards, more support came from far and wide.
The board acquiesced, leading to the resignations of the board president, Jane Bassett Spihlman, clearly tone-deaf, who had stated: “Deaf people are not ready to function in a hearing world.”
When Zinser resigned, candidate I. King Jordan, who was hearing-impaired, was appointed. (He served for 18 years, and since then, they’ve always had a deaf president.)
Co-directors DiMarco, a deaf activist and the first deaf contestant to win “America’s Next Top Model” and “Dancing with the Stars” back-to-back, and Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim, who was born in St. Louis, have deftly assembled interviews and archival footage to chronicle a pivotal moment in time.
Four of the main student organizers are interviewed, using sign language while others do voice-overs of what they say: Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Jerry Covell, Tim Rarus, and Hlibok.
Guggenheim, who won many awards for his climate-change documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” directed such acclaimed films as “Waiting for Superman,” “He Named Me Malala,” and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
He and DiMarco use different techniques to establish what the hearing-impaired world goes through day in and day out, including silence. Through their clear understanding of the subject matter, they evoke empathy and bring out emotions that deepen our knowledge.
The students, who joined with alumni and faculty to lead the non-violent protest, tell their experiences while signing in ASL, and four voice-over actors speak for them. Abigail Marlow, Paul Adelstein, Tim Blake Nelson and Leland Orser relay the responses.
The way the 1 hour, 40-minute film is constructed is riveting, leading to a few surprises, and ultimately a satisfying wrap. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival, “Deaf President Now!” is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Coverage of the game-changing protest and personal accounts of the ingrained prejudice of hearing people is certain to fire you up. To hear their plight is to react strongly to the injustices. And the snobby and elitist board president and others of wealth and privilege who act superior.
The deaf have a word for those clueless, arrogant people – “audists.”
The co-directors used some photo doubles when needed in recreations, and had a couple young people stand in for earlier versions of leaders – Charlton Hlibok and Danila Maucere as Greg and Bridgetta.
The outcome is earned, gratifying and its ripple effect is remarkable. Two years after their protest, the American Disabilities Act was passed
The deaf point of view is perceptive and the deaf community, proud of who they are, is inspiring. They stood up together and proved how valuable their voices were, making four demands that were met. And their backstories, about how much they have overcome, is illuminating for those of us in the hearing world.
. This story is dramatic and compelling, a real triumph.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
