Notable people with disabilities
- Harriet Tubman, who had epilepsy, helped approximately 300 slaves find freedom through the Underground Railroad.
- In 1985, Wilma Mankiller became the first woman to hold a top-ranking position in an American Indian tribal government when she was picked to lead the Cherokee Nation. She has a rare form of muscular dystrophy.
- Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, is said to have had a learning disability.
- Actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 and has since become an advocate for stem-cell research.
- Stevie Wonder, legendary singer, producer, activist and pianist, has been blind since birth.
- Comedian and Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
- President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's legs were paralyzed from polio. Few Americans were aware of his disability, as the press did not report it.
- Ludwig van Beethoven gradually lost his hearing, a disability that did not prevent him from composing some of the most influential symphonies of all time.
- Actor Tom Cruise is dyslexic.
- Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., is a multiple amputee after injuries he sustained while fighting in the Vietnam War.
- New York Gov. David Paterson, who took office after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer, is legally blind.
- "60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace was diagnosed with depression.
- General George Patton, who led the Allies in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, had a learning disability.
