In 1988, students at Gallaudet University, the only university for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, launched the “Deaf President Now” (DPN) protest after the board of trustees appointed Elizabeth Zinser, a hearing candidate who did not know sign language, as the university’s president. For over 100 years, Gallaudet had been led by hearing presidents, despite being an institution for the deaf community. The students demanded a deaf president, a deaf-majority board of trustees, and no punishment for the protestors. The week-long protest garnered national attention, and the students won when Zinser resigned and I. King Jordan, a deaf candidate, was appointed president. The DPN movement became a pivotal moment for deaf rights, leading to increased advocacy for deaf self-determination and significant legislative changes, such as the establishment of a national relay system and the requirement of closed captioning on TV.
https://gallaudet.edu/museum/history/the-deaf-president-now-dpn-protest/