Helen Keller was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama.
She lost her sight and hearing at 19 months due to illness.
Helen’s life story has been adapted into various films and plays, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Miracle Worker and its subsequent film adaptations.
Her education and training, particularly her work with Anne Sullivan, are considered extraordinary achievements in the education of persons with disabilities.
Helen was a prolific writer, penning several books and over 475 speeches and essays, advocating for schools for the blind, braille reading materials, workers’ rights and birth control.
She co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1920 and worked for the American Foundation for the Blind from the mid-1920s until her death in 1968.
Helen’s involvement in various social and political movements highlights her deep compassion for others and her commitment to helping them overcome significant obstacles to living healthy and productive lives.
Siblings
Helen had four siblings, two full siblings, Mildred Campbell (Keller) Tyson and Phillip Brooks Keller; and two older half-brothers from her father’s first marriage, James McDonald Keller and William Simpson Keller.
Her siblings, particularly her older brother James, played a significant role in her life, acting as her constant companion and biggest supporter.
They enabled Helen to overcome obstacles and fostered a deep bond among them, shaping her character and challenging her to constantly strive for personal growth.
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Parents
Helen was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, on June 27, 1880, to parents Kate Adams Keller and Colonel Arthur Keller.
Her father had served as an officer in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Career
Helen lost her sight and hearing after a bout of illness at 19 months old.
Her life changed when Anne Sullivan, a graduate of the Perkins School for the Blind, became her tutor in 1887.
Sullivan taught Helen language and communication skills, enabling her to attend schools in Boston and New York, and later Radcliffe College, where she became the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
She was a prolific author, writing 14 books and hundreds of speeches and essays on various topics, including animals, Mahatma Gandhi, women’s suffrage, labor rights, and world peace.
Helen joined the Socialist Party of America in 1909 and was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Her autobiography, The Story of My Life, publicized her education and life with Sullivan.
It was adapted as a play and film under the same title, The Miracle Worker.
Her birthplace has been designated and preserved as a National Historic Landmark.
Helen co-founded Helen Keller International in 1915 to assist soldiers blinded during World War I.
The organization has since expanded its mission to address the causes and consequences of blindness, malnutrition, and poor health, delivering life-changing health care to vulnerable families in places where the need is great.
Helen’s legacy continues through her writings, advocacy, and the work of organizations she co-founded or supported.
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