Helen Keller Day 2024
Helen Keller Day 2024, observed annually on June 27, commemorates the life, challenges, and accomplishments of Helen Adams Keller, an American author, political activist, and lecturer who was deafblind. In Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, a yearly fashion show is organized on this day as a fundraiser to support those in need, celebrating her remarkable legacy.
Helen Keller Biography
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Helen Adams Keller |
| Date of Birth | June 27, 1880 |
| Place of Birth | Tuscumbia, Alabama, USA |
| Parents | Arthur H. Keller and Kate Adams Keller |
| Siblings | Two older half-brothers (James and William Simpson Keller) and one sister (Mildred Campbell Keller) |
| Early Childhood | Born healthy, but at 19 months, contracted an illness (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) which left her deaf and blind. |
| Education | – Anne Sullivan (teacher) began instructing her in 1887, teaching her to communicate using manual alphabet. – Perkins Institute for the Blind – Wright-Humason School for the Deaf – Cambridge School for Young Ladies – Radcliffe College (graduated in 1904) |
| Major Achievements | – First deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree – Author of 12 published books and numerous articles – Co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – Advocate for people with disabilities, women’s suffrage, labor rights, and world peace – Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964) – Elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame (1965) |
| Major Works | – “The Story of My Life” (1903) – “Optimism” (1903) – “The World I Live In” (1908) – “My Religion” (1927) – “Midstream: My Later Life” (1929) |
| Advocacy and Activism | – Promoted education and opportunities for people with disabilities – Worked with organizations like the American Foundation for the Blind – Supported socialist causes and was a member of the Socialist Party of America – Championed women’s rights, including the right to vote |
| Legacy | – Recognized as a symbol of perseverance and accomplishment – Numerous schools and institutions named in her honor – Subject of various films, plays, and biographies, including the famous play and movie “The Miracle Worker” |
| Death | June 1, 1968, Easton, Connecticut, USA |
| Burial Place | Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., USA |
Writings, Books & Other Works
Helen Keller moved to Forest Hills, Queens, with her teacher Anne Sullivan and a housekeeper named Polly Thomson. From her home, she advocated for the American Foundation for the Blind and gained fame as a speaker and author, promoting the rights of people with disabilities. She gave talks in 25 countries about the challenges faced by the Deaf community. Keller was a pacifist, opposed President Woodrow Wilson, supported radical socialism, birth control, and women’s suffrage.
Throughout her life, Keller published 12 books, including:
- “The Frost King” (1891)
- “The Story of My Life” (1903)
- “Optimism: An Essay” (1903)
- “My Key of Life: Optimism” (1904)
- “The World I Live In” (1908)
- “The Miracle of Life” (1909)
- “The Song of the Stone Wall” (1910)
- “Out of the Dark: Essays on Socialism” (1913)
- “Uncle Sam Is Calling” (1917, set to music by Pauline B. Story)
- “My Religion” (1927; also known as “Light in My Darkness”)
- “Midstream: My Later Life” (1929)
- “We Bereaved” (1929)
- “Peace at Eventide” (1932)
- “Helen Keller in Scotland: A Personal Record” (1933)
- “Helen Keller’s Journal” (1938)
- “Let Us Have Faith” (1940)
- “Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy” (1955, a tribute by Keller)
- “The Open Door” (1957)
- “The Faith of Helen Keller” (1967)
- “Helen Keller: Her Socialist Years, Writings, and Speeches” (1967)
Earlier Life
Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, to Arthur Henley Keller and Catherine Everett (Adams) Keller. At 19 months old, she contracted a type of bacterial meningitis, which left her deaf, blind, and unable to communicate. Seeking advice, her family turned to Alexander Graham Bell, the renowned scientist and inventor of the telephone. Bell recommended that they enroll her in the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston.
Following Bell’s suggestion, Keller began her education in 1887 with Anne Sullivan, a young teacher who had experienced vision impairment herself. Sullivan employed ‘touch teaching’ methods and, under her expert guidance, Keller transformed from an uncontrollable child into a disciplined learner. She mastered reading and writing in Braille and learned the hand signals used by the deaf and mute.
Personal Life
In her late 30s, Helen Keller faced a significant change when Anne Sullivan’s health began to decline. Keller hired Peter Fagan, a private secretary and a socialist who communicated with her using fingerspelling. They fell in love and planned to elope, but their plans were thwarted by her family’s strong objections, believing that women with disabilities should not marry. Consequently, Keller moved to Montgomery, Alabama, with her mother.
Awards & Achievements
Helen Keller received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States, on September 14, 1964, from President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1965, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame at the New York World’s Fair. In her later years, Keller dedicated much of her time to raising funds for the American Foundation for the Blind.
Here are a few of her posthumous honours:
- In 1980, to commemorate Keller’s 100th birthday, the United States Postal Service released a stamp featuring Sullivan and Keller.
- Keller was included in Gallup’s list of the 20th Century’s Most Admired People in 1999.
- One of Time magazine’s 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century in 1999, Keller.
- By including braille on a US currency in 2003, Alabama celebrated its native daughter in her state quarter.
- She is honoured by the Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama.
- K.K. Srinivasan established a Helen Keller-themed deaf preschool in Mysore, India.
- The State of Alabama donated a bronze statue of Keller to the National Statuary Hall Collection in 2009.
Helen Keller Day honors resilience, raises disability awareness, and inspires others. It advocates for education and promotes human rights and social justice. This day serves as a reminder of the critical importance of making education accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities. Keller’s life underscores the need for inclusivity, accessibility, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. By dedicating a day to her, we encourage understanding and empathy towards those living with disabilities.
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