What do we know about the first person ever diagnosed with autism in the United States? In his rural Mississippi city, the now elderly man is known as Don. In medical literature, he’s known as “Case #1.” Donald Gray Triplett was diagnosed with autism in 1943. In a medical article announcing the condition, it was described as one unlike “anything reported so far.” Triplett’s community has embraced him throughout the decades; his neighbors speak of him lovingly and he’s sort of a local legend. Journalist and filmmaker Caren Zucker read about Triplett and she wanted to meet him. Zucker’s son Mickey has autism, and she hoped that by understanding how Triplett’s community support and love him, she could use what she learned to help people like her son. Zucker documented her experience in a film called “In A Different Key,” which will be screened Thursday evening at the Theater at Innovation Square.
This hour, we preview the film and our guests discuss what they hope audiences will learn when it comes to perspectives about autism. Our guests:
- Caren Zucker, filmmaker of “In A Different Key”
- John Donvan, filmmaker of “In A Different Key”
- Tracy Crosby, executive director of the Arc Foundation of Monroe
- Amy Lutz, author, and parent of an adult child who has severe autism
- Sarah Milko, executive director of AutismUp
- Christen Smith, director of marketing and communications for the Arc of Monroe
This story is reported from WXXI’s Inclusion Desk.
