A culture is often defined by its location, language, common beliefs, activities, and art. American deaf culture includes the common attitudes and social activities of members of the deaf culture.

American deaf culture includes the art and theatre of the deaf community. Hearing people may be unaware of the popularity of deaf theatre. Some special film festivals are dedicated to deaf culture.

American Sign Language plays a vital role in deaf culture. This language is unique to the American deaf culture and not merely a manual version of English. Storytelling in American Sign Language is part of American deaf culture. Humor is common in deaf storytelling.

Deaf schools are fundamental to deaf culture. Most deaf children are part of hearing families. The children are informally initiated into deaf culture in the deaf schools. It is in the residential deaf schools that the children learn to build a healthy identity of being deaf.

There are some social activities that are common in the deaf community. Deaf clubs are social clubs exclusively for deaf people. Like hearing people, many deaf people enjoy sports. Deaf athletic organizations promote deaf sports.

Another common social activity among deaf people is referred to as signing suppers, silent suppers, or ASL dinners. A similar social activity is called deaf coffee or a small, social gathering of deaf people at a coffeehouse.

Deaf and hearing people closely linked to the deaf community often view deafness as a difference, not a disability. Deaf people have cultural pride for being deaf. The acceptance and pride of being deaf is sometimes referred to as deafhood.

The deaf people in American deaf culture do not readily accept hearing people. Some hearing people have difficulty understanding this and often view deaf people as rude. Even hard of hearing people often have difficulty being accepted by the deaf community.

However, if a hearing person was to consider how the deaf community are treated by hearing people and the personal histories of the deaf people with whom the hearing person is in contact, the hearing person may gain understanding as to why deaf people are hesitant to trust hearing people.