Helen Keller
Born June 21, 1880 - Died: June 1, 1968
Who is Helen Keller?
She was an international spokeswoman for the disabled through the 20th century. Once she had became blind and deaf,she struggled to communicate with her family. Once she was given enough education to understand that disabled people were a minority in the world. She toured the world to promote acceptance of disabled people.
"The public must learn that the blind man is neither genius nor a freak nor an idiot. He has a mind that can be educated, a hand which can be trained,… and it is the duty of the public to help him make the best of himself." - Helen Keller
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us." -Helen Keller
Becoming Blind
A picture of Helen Keller feeling a mans face to read his lips as he speaks so she can understand what he is saying.
Valuing Education
Helen valued education especially for those who were a minority. This included women and the disabled. She learned how to speak at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in Boston. She learned how to speak English, French, German, Greek, and Latin. She later entered Radcliff (located in Cambridge, Massachusetts). She was the first deafblind person to enter the school.
Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan
Anne Sullivan was Helen's personal tutor who was also blind. She learned from the Perkins Institution for specialized instructions. Later in life she had two operations on her eyes which allowed her to regain her eyesight partially.
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
She was promoted to the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, this then promoted inclusion of disabled people into the society. She travelled the world encouraging establishments to do the same. She also encouraged other things like women's suffrage and promoting justice for all
God's Old Law
The Old Law- Special Concern for the Vulnerable definitely describes Helen Kellers line of work. She knows exactly what it feels like to think no one can help her and that no one would understand her because she doesn't know how to accurately describe what she needs or feels. As she redefines this stereotypically way of thinking, she travels the world to tell others that disabled people do not need to be treated that way. She slowly, one talk at a time, starts to change the way people think about the minorities in society.
Corporal Works Of Mercy
One of the main Corporal Works of Mercy that Helen Keller did a lot in her later life was that she visited the sick. She told them to never give up and told them to go for their dreams. She was constantly learning about others conditions and wanted to learn how she could help them. She was constantly touched by those who were mentally and physically sick.
Scripture Verse for Helen Keller
"When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demon, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: 'He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.'" - Matthew 8:16-17
Continuing on Helen Keller's Legacy
A video about Achieve Services Inc. which helps disabled people get a job and help build their independence
Donate for Disable Scholarships
This allows you to see what kind of Scholarships are out there for disabled people and allows you to apply or donate to them.