Deaf Telecommunicators of Greater Washington, Inc. (DTGW) began its existence in 1968 in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. After Robert Weitbrecht invented the teletypewriter (TTY) coupler in 1964, communication over telephone lines was still a novelty to deaf people. Furthermore, the only way to obtain TTYs was through secondhand donations from businesses, government agencies, and telephone companies, a process that was unreliable and difficult for the deaf to navigate. DTGW was founded as a nonprofit clearinghouse to collect, distribute, and repair TTYs for the local deaf community, as well as creating answering and news services for DC-area TTY owners and a “Hotline for the Deaf” to provide emergency advice and referrals. Although limited in scope, these services helped open a new world for the deaf.

During these early years, DTGW struggled to retain members, as many simply joined to get TTYs and dropped out once they had them. In 1975, Marilyn Pierce was elected president, succeeding founding president Louis Schwarz. Under President Pierce, DTGW changed its mission, becoming more concerned with telecommunications advocacy and facilitation. It encouraged TTY use for local businesses and government agencies, provided education on telecommunications and the deaf, and took over the publishing of the Greater Washington Area TDD/Community Directory, more commonly known as the GWA*.

The GWA* began as a single mimeographed sheet of TDD numbers in the DC area, published by Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf in the 1970s. Under DTGW, the GWA* expanded into a full telephone directory, including personal and business listings that extended as far as Baltimore and Frederick. After being irregularly published every few years, it shifted to annual publication in 1983.

The records in this collection were acquired and donated by Nancy Abbott (1944- ). Abbott was elected as the DTGW’s secretary in 1973 and also volunteered as editor of the GWA* from 1977 onwards. In 1983, she was promoted to executive director.