Black Americans With Disabilities: An Interview With Dr. Sylvia Walker, Dr. L. Robert McConnell, and the Legacy of Dr. Bobbie J. Atkins

Discrimination based on disability has been with us since the beginning of time. Similarly, prejudice based on several social variables, including race and gender, has been with us for generations, not only in the United States but globally. It is this foundation of disability, gender, and race that guided a young doctoral student to one of the first National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns (NAMRC) conferences back in 1996. It is within this backdrop that excerpts from two interviews conducted at the conference highlight that the more things change, the more they stay the same relative to the outcomes of Blacks with disabilities in the United States. People with disabilities who are Black continue to encounter similar barriers today, not only in the vocational rehabilitation (VR) system but outside VR as well. Brief solutions will be offered to facilitate services for Blacks with disabilities. It was also interesting that questions revealed similar responses from Drs. Walker and McConnell. On a personal note, as we prepared to finalize this manuscript for the Black disability special issue, we learned of the passing of Dr. Bobbie J. Atkins, one of the icons in the VR field. We will pay tribute to this trail-blazing teacher, researcher, and mentor to many. Because of Dr. Atkins's sacrifices, many of us who write about race, gender, and other social variables in VR were allowed to communicate our true thoughts and perceptions through her voice and advocacy for Blacks with disabilities. Thank you for a legacy to remember.