Andrea Hall, the first black woman to be named Fire Captain in the city of South Fulton, Georgia, not only recited but signed The Pledge of Allegiance during President Joe Biden’s inauguration, which proved to be a breakthrough for the deaf and hearing community alike.

For years, the deaf community was forced to conform to society’s expectations of them. This was seen in schools nationwide when deaf children were prohibited from signing/embracing their culture and would be forced to learn to speak.

“Deaf children are entitled to know that they are heirs to an amazing culture, not a pitiful defect,” Carla A. Halpern, General Attorney from Athol, MA, said.

Fire Captain Hall, who had a deaf father, allowed the deaf community to finally receive the recognition and acknowledgment they deserve at a national level.

“I just am intending to represent, my family, the city of South Fulton, women, African-American women, firefighters, and everyone in the nation, well,” Hall told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

People all over America were inspired by Hall’s moving delivery to explore deaf culture and all of its beauty. People are reaching out to those of the deaf community all over different platforms, a big one being Instagram.

Owners of @isignusign on Instagram posted a video captioned, “THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN ASL. Firefighter Andrea Hall delivered the inaugural Pledge of Allegiance using American Sign Language. What a beautiful Job she did. Many of you have asked how to sign the Pledge of Allegiance. Well, here you go! God Bless America and God Bless American Sign Language.”

When she signed the pledge, Andrea Hall demonstrated what the great American author Mark Twain said best: “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”