Lee Brody New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: RITDSA-0008

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Lee Brody New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY collection documents the New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY, a company founded by Lee Brody to provide telephone accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The collection contains business records and correspondence, records of fundraising events, drawings of signalers, TTY (teletypewriter) and technology equipment, equipment manuals, newspaper and magazine articles about Lee Brody and the company, newsletters, photographs and New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY directories.

Dates

Creation: circa 1969-1989

Creator

Brody, Lee (Person)
New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

(Irwin) Lee Brody, a pioneer in developing affordable TTY’s for the deaf community, was born in Newark, NJ in 1926 and became deaf at six months old. His father, Harry Brody, sent Lee to Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) in St. Louis, MO so that it would help Lee prepare for college. Lee graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University in 1949 and went on to graduate studies in Psychology. After college, he started a career in real estate.

In 1969 he started gathering used and donated TTYs (teletypewriters), refurbishing them and distributing them to deaf people, allowing them to use the telephone to communicate with others, sometimes for first time. He soon formalized this activity, starting a non-profit company called New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He also worked with schools, hospitals, libraries, and local police, fire and emergency call departments, to distribute special TTY’s that could be easily tied into regular phone lines. In this way deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, first in New York and New Jersey, and then nationwide were able to communicate with basic public services. Among other accomplishments he developed visual light signalers and pioneered the use of computer software to function as TTYs. He also developed the world's first Braille TTY used by deaf-blind users. His company also designed and produced a line of assistive devices, including doorbell and phone ringing light signalers and wake up devices. Brody passed away at age 70 on February 11, 1997. Lee Brody was married to Anna Terrazzino, who took over the company after his death.

Extent

8.33 Linear Feet (9 file boxes, 1 attache case, 2 framed pieces, 1 oversize lid box)

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

The Lee Brody New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY collection documents New York-New Jersey Phone-TTY, a company founded by Lee Brody to provide telephone accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The collection contains business records, clippings, newsletters, photographs and TTY (teletypewriter) and technology equipment.