L.C. and E.W.

Gimp Parade, Wheelie Catholic, Six, Almost Seven, and other blogs have noted that today is the eighth anniversary of the US Supreme Court upholding the "Olmstead decision," L.C. and E.W. v. Olmstead, in which a district judge ruled that "Unnecessary institutionalization amounts to segregation and is a violation of individual civil rights." There will be marches and celebrations marking this day--conveniently situated on the first Friday of summer.

But who were the L.C and E.W. of the case's name? Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson were the plaintiffs designated by those initials. Elaine Beverly Wilson of Atlanta was brain-injured by a high fever in infancy. Elaine attended public school at first, then a succession of private and specialized school. At fifteen, she came home from residential schools, but her family couldn't handle her behavior. She lived in mental institutions or on the streets for much of her life; she endured shock treatment and psychotropic drugs. "I felt like I was in a little box and there was no way out," she testified to the judge. After the 1999 decision, Elaine Wilson moved into her own home, with support. She enjoyed shopping and welcoming visitors, before her early death in December 2004, at the age of 53.

Lois Curtis has a similar story: she's an Atlanta native who spent years in state-run institutions. She also lives in the community now, and enjoys painting and writing. A painting by Lois Curtis, representing the course of her life so far, was displayed in the Temple Gallery in Decatur in Fall 2005, and her creative work has since been exhibited across the US.

The case might have been won with other plaintiffs; but it wasn't. These were the women who sat through the tedious days and weeks of courtroom procedure, through the Supreme Court appeal, and waited, who told their stories, knowing their own lives and the lives of countless others would turn on the outcome.

[Visual description: Image above shows two women, one closer to the camera, one further in the background. The woman closer to the camera is on the right, in a pink shirt, pearly necklace, and earrings, with her arms crossed over her chest, meeting the camera's gaze with an expression I'd call "determined." The woman farther from the camera is looking down at her upper arm, and is wearing black. The woman in pink is Elaine Wilson; the woman in black is Lois Curtis. Wilson is white, and in her late 40s at the time of the photo; Curtis is African-American, and about thirty. Image from the CDCAN report of 27 April 2007.]