Historical Overview: The story of how wounded World War II veterans organized in 1946 to spearhead national accessibility reforms, adaptive sports programs, and specialized healthcare support.
The Founding of Paralyzed Veterans of America
In 1943, Joseph A. Jordan Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army just two years after completing high school. While stationed in northern France in 1945, his jeep rolled over in a minefield, leaving him permanently paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury. Upon returning to the United States for recovery, Jordan and fellow veterans encountered significant mobility barriers, limited medical knowledge, and undeveloped rehabilitation services. Unwilling to accept institutionalization or limited societal access, these veterans took action.
In January 1946, 70 paraplegic veterans gathered at the Red Cross Recreation Hall at Birmingham General Hospital in Van Nuys, California. This meeting established the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a nonprofit Veterans Service Organization focused on supporting individuals with spinal cord injuries and diseases (SCI/D), including multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Early Media & Publishing
Six months after PVA's founding, the group launched PN Magazine (originally Paraplegia News), creating one of the earliest media outlets dedicated specifically to the disability community.
Pioneering Adaptive Sports
Ten months post-founding, members organized the nation's first wheelchair basketball game at Birmingham Veterans Administration Hospital, defeating a doctors' team 16-6 before touring nationally.
PVA History and Major Milestones
1947: Civil Rights and Hotel Segregation Challenge
During PVA's first board meeting in Richmond, Virginia, Joseph A. Jordan Jr. was turned away from the venue due to local segregation laws. First PVA President Gilford "Gil" S. Moss took the issue to the press and ensured Jordan entered with the group, stating, "spinal cord injury knows no bias and neither does PVA."
1948: Accessible Housing Legislation
After PVA members collaborated with architects and presented housing models to Congress, federal lawmakers enacted Public Law 702, providing the first federal grants for specially adapted housing modifications.
1970: VA Healthcare Transformation
Following a May 1970 Life Magazine article exposing severe conditions at the Bronx VA Medical Center, public outcry prompted PVA to establish a Field Advisory Committee. PVA remains the only nonprofit invited to conduct annual site reviews across all VA SCI/D facilities.
Current Scope and Community Impact
Today, PVA continues to operate across multiple areas including medical oversight, administrative claims, and sports organization:
- Adaptive Sports: PVA co-hosts the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
- Claims Assistance: In the past year, PVA assisted in filing nearly 27,000 VA benefits claims, securing over $279 million in new benefits for veterans with SCI/D.
- Global Guidance: PVA regularly publishes Clinical Practice Guidelines and Consumer Guides, reaching audiences across more than 60 countries in four languages.
Leadership Perspectives
"You advocate for one person because one person matters. But you keep fighting because you know that one victory can change the lives of many."
— Al Kovach, U.S. Navy SEAL veteran, former PVA National President, and host of the "Voices of PVA" podcast
"We are regarded in the broader veterans community as the 'subject matter experts' on a wide range of topics that veterans with catastrophic disabilities have earned and deserve."
— Carl Blake, PVA Chief Executive Officer
"Accessibility and equal participation remain unfinished work more than three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law."
— Robert Thomas, PVA National President, Army veteran, and wheelchair user
