T H E   W H I T E   H O U S E

White Cane Safety Day, 2000

Help Site Map Text Only

/WH/html/briefroom.html

White Cane Safety Day, 2000

Last month at the Olympic Games in Sydney, American runner Marla Runyan made history in the women's 1500-meter race. She was not considered a favorite in the event and won no medals, placing ninth in the final competition. But as the first legally blind athlete ever to qualify for and compete in an Olympic event, Marla set an extraordinary precedent and proved to millions of people across the globe that disability need not be a limitation on achievement or a barrier to success.

Marla Runyan's accomplishment reflects the spirit of two historic pieces of legislation whose milestone anniversaries we celebrate this year. Ten years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law to guarantee access to public accommodations and services and to outlaw workplace discrimination for people with disabilities. Twenty-five years ago, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act became law, ensuring that people with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. Both of these laws have made a significant impact on the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities by allowing them to pursue their dreams and make their own contributions to our society.

But even before passage of these landmark laws, the white cane was helping to open doors of opportunity for many blind and visually impaired Americans. With proper training, people using the white cane can enjoy greater mobility and safety by determining the location of curbs, steps, uneven pavement, and other physical obstacles in their path. The white cane has given them the freedom to travel independently to their schools and workplaces and to participate more fully in the life of their communities.

The white cane is a simple tool, but, like Marla Runyan's accomplishments, it reminds us that the only barriers against people with disabilities are discriminatory attitudes and practices that our society has too often placed in their way. As we observe White Cane Safety Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a society where we embrace the talents, energy, and contributions of every individual.

To honor the many achievements of blind and visually impaired citizens and to recognize the white cane's significance in advancing independence, the Congress, by joint resolution approved October 6, 1964, has designated October 15 of each year as "White Cane Safety Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 15, 2000, as White Cane Safety Day. I call upon the people of the

United States, government officials, educators, and business leaders to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON


President and First Lady | Vice President and Mrs. Gore
Record of Progress | The Briefing Room
Gateway to Government | Contacting the White House
White House for Kids | White House History
White House Tours | Help | Text Only

Privacy Statement

What's New at the White House

What's New - December 2000

What's New - November 2000

What's New - October 2000

What's New - September 2000

What's New - July 2000

What's New - June 2000

What's New - May 2000

What's New - April 2000

What's New - March 2000

What's New - February 2000

What's New - January 2000

What's New Archives 1997-1999

What's New Archives: 1994-1996

Presidential Webcast: Meeting the Challenge of Global Warming

President Clinton Joins International Religious and Domestic Aids Policy Leaders to Mark World Aids Day

Urging Congress to Keep its Commitment and Complete this Year's Education Budget

To Implement Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 and to Modify the Generalized System of Preferences

Preserving America's Coral Reefs

Human Rights Day: The Eleanor Roosevelt Award and The Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Clinton Launches New Effort to Increase Immunization Rates Among Children

President Clinton and Vice President Gore: Restoring an American Natural Treasure

Progress in Efforts to Combat International Crime

President Clinton's New Markets Initiative: Revitalizing America's Underserved Communities

President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and Congressional Democrats Win a Landmark Budget

Announcing Welfare Reform Achievements and Budget Wins for America's Families

President Clinton Issues Strong New Consumer Protections to Ensure the Privacy of Medical Records

Enacting a Budget that Invests in Education, Health Care, and America'

President Clinton Appoints Roger Gregory to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

President Clinton Announces New Steps to Improve Nutrition and Education for Children in Developing Countries

The United States on Track to Pay Off the Debt by End of the Decade

President Clinton: Strengthening the Federal Government-University Research Partnership

Keeping the Heat and Lights On During Unusually Cold Weather

President Clinton and First Lady Promote Screenings and Treatment for Breast, Cervical and Other Cancers

Strengthening and Supporting the Military

President Clinton: Strong Action to Preserve America's Forests

Protecting America's Natural Treasures

President Clinton: Raising the Minimum Wage -- An Overdue Pay Raise for America's Working Families

President Clinton Awards the Presidential Citizens Medals

President Clinton Unveils the Completion of the FDR Memorial and Honors FDR's Legacy

Highlights of the 2001 Economic Report of the President

Prevention Resources For America

President Clinton Honors Martin Luther King Through Words and Deeds

New Efforts to Fight Sweatshops and Child Labor Around the World & Put A More Human Face on the

Leadership for the New Millennium -- A Record of Digital Progress and Prosperity

President Clinton: Celebrating the Legacy of Lewis and Clark and Preserving America's Natural Treasures