Born: June 27, 1880 (West Tuscumbia, Alabama)
Died: 1968
Biography:
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist, and lecturer. Born on June 27, 1880, in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, Keller’s life was forever changed when she lost both her sight and hearing at the age of 19 months due to an illness. Despite this immense challenge, Keller went on to become a symbol of hope and inspiration for people with disabilities around the world.
In the early years of her life, Keller communicated primarily through home signs, until she met Anne Sullivan when she was seven years old. Sullivan became Keller’s teacher and lifelong companion, teaching her language skills, including reading and writing. With Sullivan’s guidance, Keller began to excel academically and emotionally, expanding her understanding of the world.
Keller’s education spanned specialist and mainstream schools, and her determination led her to attend Radcliffe College of Harvard University. In 1904, she became the first deafblind person in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. This achievement was not only a testament to her intelligence and perseverance but also shattered societal expectations of what a person with disabilities could accomplish.
Throughout her life, Keller worked tirelessly to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. From 1924 until her death in 1968, she served as a dedicated employee of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). During this time, Keller traveled across the United States and visited 35 countries worldwide, advocating for those with vision loss and promoting their inclusion in society.
In addition to her advocacy work, Keller was a prolific author, writing 14 books and countless speeches and essays. Her writings covered a wide range of topics, including animals, literature, and her admiration for Mahatma Gandhi. Keller’s autobiography, The Story of My Life, published in 1903, shed light on her remarkable education journey and life with Sullivan. This book was later adapted into a successful play by William Gibson and a film titled The Miracle Worker.
Keller’s impact was not limited to disability rights. She was an active campaigner for women’s suffrage, labor rights, and world peace. In 1909, she joined the Socialist Party of America and became a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Keller’s dedication to social justice and her influential role in women’s history cannot be overstated.
Her birthplace, Ivy Green, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, is now a designated National Historic Landmark and operates as a house museum. Each year, an annual Helen Keller Day is held to honor her legacy.
Honored and esteemed for her numerous accomplishments, Keller was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century. In recognition of her significant contributions, she was inducted into both the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame as one of the inaugural inductees in 2015.