Cailin Cullen is a student in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science and is currently completing a practicum at the Student Life and Culture Archives.
On June 11, 1962, a group of seventeen wheelchair athletes gathered at the University of Illinois for an orientation regarding their upcoming trip to Africa. For three full days, thirteen men and four women practiced their skills in track, field, basketball, archery, square dancing, cheer-leading, bowling, and chair handling skills. During this time, the group also met with Timothy Nugent, the University of Illinois Rehabilitation Center Director, and John Powell, an instructor in Physical Education and a former instructor at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
The idea for the trip was imagined by Tom C. Knowles, the manager of Tom Tit’s Travel Agency in Grahamstown, South Africa. Knowles suffered a service injury during his time in the Royal Air Force and utilized a wheelchair. He heard about the University of Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Education Services (DRES) Program from his friend, John Powell. In an effort to spark public interest in his country for greater opportunity for disabled individuals, Knowles organized a tour and raised the funds for it.[1] Continue reading “Wheelchair Athletes’ 1962 Tour of South Africa and Rhodesia”
