THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Susan Nussbaum
December 2, 1953 – April 28, 2022
“There isn’t that much difference, say, when a disabled woman falls in love, than when a non-disabled woman falls in love.”
Playwright, actor, disability rights and social justice activist. Founder of Access Living. Founder of the Empowered Fe Fes. Early member of Chicago Women’s Liberation.

More About Susan:
- Obituary, The New York Times
- Rainbow Rant: Remembering Susan Nussbaum, The disabled writer, actress and activist died on April 28 after a lifetime of fearless truth-telling, radical pleasure-seeking, and brave action, by Joy Ellison, May 10, 2022
- One Book Villanova Lecture 2014. Community Talk presented by Susan Nussbaum, author of “Good Kings, Bad Kings,” a novel told from the perspectives of several characters who either work or live in an institution for young adults with disabilities in Chicago. Readers follow the characters as they deal with the hardships of institutional life and experience personal triumphs and tribulations.
- Real-life drama; A hard won father-daughter collaboration finally comes to fruition onstage, Chicago Tribune, January 1992
- Chicago Women’s Liberation Union interview tapes: Secret Storm; Hannah Frisch, Judith Kloiber, Trisha Leja, Jean Maloney, Susan Nussbaum, Judith Sayad April 20, 1986
- Listen to Studs Terkel’s interview with Susan Nussbaum, founder of Access Living, and Michael Pachovas, founder of Disabled Prisoners Program, about the Disabled Persons Freedom Rally held in 1981
- Wikipedia page
- Susan’s sister Karen Nussbaum, Veteran Feminists of America