April 18, 2007
Museum of disABILITY History Appoints Museum Curator
Buffalo, N.Y., April 18, 2007: The Museum of disABILITY History and People Inc. are pleased to announce that Douglas A. Platt has been promoted to the position of Museum Curator. Platt has a BA in Studio Art from SUNY Fredonia and has been a People Inc. employee for over 20 years where he was initially involved in providing direct care for individuals with developmental disabilities. In 1999, he became involved with the Museum of disABILITY History, a project of People Inc., when he assumed the role of project coordinator and has been responsible for assembling the Museum’s rapidly growing collection of artifacts, developing Museum exhibits and the content of the Museum’s new website.
Since becoming involved with the Museum, Platt has acquired an in-depth knowledge of the history of how society has reacted to people with disabilities. “Having the opportunity to work on a daily basis with individuals with disabilities, many of whom once lived in the now closed institutions such as Willowbrook or Newark, has provided me with an insight and appreciation for their role in our changing society,” said Platt
The Museum of disABILITY History is dedicated to advancing the understanding, acceptance, and independence of people with disabilities. The Museum’s exhibits, collections, archives, and educational programs preserve and document the history of people with disabling conditions and serve to create awareness and a platform for dialogue and discovery.
The Museum of disABILITY History, located at 1291 North Forest Road, is a project of People Inc., the leading human service agency in Western New York. The Museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. For further information about the Museum, call 716-817-7261 or visit the website: www.museumofdisability.org.
People Inc. is a not-for-profit health and human services agency providing programs and services to morethan 10,000 people with special needs, their families, and seniors throughout Western New York. Since 1971, People Inc. has assisted individuals to achieve greater degrees of independence and productivity.
