The National Association for the Deaf (NAD) was established by leaders who themselves were hearing impaired. The organization was founded in 1880 to serve as an advocate for the rights of deaf people all across the United States. Since its inception, the NAD has been actively fighting for the well being of the deaf population and has successfully lobbied for the passing of some laws that would benefit not just the hearing impaired, but people with other disabilities as well.

The rights the NAD aims to protect include human, civil, and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. They aim to help improve the lives of the people they represent by making sure that they are afforded the same rights and liberties as other individuals who do not suffer from hearing loss in schools, the workplace, and society in general. The organization has achieved a number of high profile triumphs over the years. These include having laws signed which allow people to enter civil service and take the necessary exams, as well as the requirement for captioning movies among many other things. The NAD also worked hand in hand with other organizations to push for the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.

Today, the NAD also helps the deaf population understand their legal rights better and assist them whenever possible. Part of this endeavor is their campaign to end the discrimination against the deaf and hard of hearing by spreading awareness and promoting values that show inclusiveness and diversity. The NAD embraces diversity as they include deaf people regardless of religion, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, gender, and the like. They are also fighting to preserve and promote the use of American Sign Language (ASL) and to preserve the culture of belongingness within the deaf community.