Celebrate George Veditz Birthday
SILVER SPRING, (August 13, 2012) – The National Association of the Deaf
(NAD) recognizes August 13th as the birthday of George Veditz and asks
everyone to celebrate his birth by remembering his contributions to the
world – particularly the preservation and promotion of sign language.
View Video of George Veditz “The Preservation of Sign Language”
George Veditz: 7th President of the NADBorn on August 13, 1861, George
Veditz was the seventh President of the NAD, serving from 1904 to 1910.
More importantly, he was one of the most ardent and visible advocates
of American Sign Language. Veditz became deaf at the age of eight from
scarlet fever, attended what is now known as the Maryland School of the
Deaf in Frederick from 1875 to 1878, and then attended Gallaudet from
1880 to 1884. Upon graduation from Gallaudet, he taught at the Maryland
School of the Deaf and then at the Colorado School for the Deaf. Always
an educator, Veditz continued to teach throughout his life, and
contributed much to the educational structure of the Colorado School
for the Deaf.
It was Veditz who realized in the early 1900s that the newly developed
technology of motion pictures were an ideal way to convey the beauty of
sign language to the world. One of his motion pictures showing his
passion for sign language was recently accepted into the Library of
Congress. Thanks to Veditz, sign languages all over the world continue
to be documented via film.
http://www.nad.org/news/2010/12/historic-nad-film-selected-preservation-library-congress
Thanks to his gift to us, the NAD continues to advocate for the
preservation, protection, and promotion of American Sign Language for
all deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States.
Happy birthday, George Veditz!