Who Was Helen Keller?

Helen Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer who was born deaf and blind. Despite her disabilities, she became a world-renowned advocate for people with disabilities and a symbol of hope and inspiration for people around the world.

Who Was Helen Keller? (Who Was?)

by Gare Thompson

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9862 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	110 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

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Early Life

Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, on June 27, 1880. Her parents were Arthur Keller, a Confederate veteran, and Kate Adams Keller. Helen was a healthy baby, but at the age of 19 months, she contracted scarlet fever, which left her deaf and blind.

After Helen lost her sight and hearing, she became withdrawn and isolated. She communicated with her family through a series of signs that she invented herself. In 1887, Helen's parents hired a teacher for her named Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Helen how to read and write using braille, and she also helped her to develop a way to communicate orally.

Education

Helen Keller attended the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1890 to 1894. She then attended the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York City, from 1894 to 1896. In 1896, Helen enrolled at Radcliffe College, where she graduated magna cum laude in 1904.

Helen Keller was the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. Her accomplishment was a major victory for people with disabilities, and it helped to raise awareness of the challenges that they face.

Career

After graduating from college, Helen Keller became a writer, lecturer, and political activist. She wrote several books about her life and experiences, including The Story of My Life (1903),Midstream: My Later Life (1929),and Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy (1955).

Helen Keller also lectured extensively about her life and her work. She spoke to audiences around the world, and she helped to raise awareness of the challenges that people with disabilities face. She also advocated for the rights of people with disabilities, and she worked to improve their lives.

Personal Life

Helen Keller never married, but she had several close relationships with men. In 1916, she met Peter Fagan, a young Socialist who became her secretary and lifelong companion. Fagan helped Helen to write her books and to manage her finances.

Helen Keller also had a close relationship with Polly Thomson, a writer and editor who became her literary agent. Thomson helped Helen to edit her books and to promote her work.

Legacy

Helen Keller died in Easton, Connecticut, on June 1, 1968. She was 87 years old. Helen Keller was a remarkable woman who overcame adversity to become a world-renowned author, activist, and lecturer. She was a symbol of hope and inspiration for people around the world, and her legacy continues to inspire people today.

Additional Resources

• The Helen Keller National Center
• The American Foundation for the Blind
• The American Experience: Helen Keller

Who Was Helen Keller? (Who Was?)

by Gare Thompson

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9862 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	110 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE