We wanted to share this great article from the American Foundation for the Blind on Helen Keller. Enjoy!
Today (June 27) marks the 144th birthday of Helen Keller—one of our nation’s greatest advocates and global ambassadors for goodwill.
Keller dedicated her life to dispelling society’s misconceptions about people with disabilities. During her life, Helen wrote over 475 speeches and essays, authored 14 books, and visited 39 countries. These profound writings and travels were left in her estate to the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and are chronicled in the Helen Keller Archive, a completely accessible digital archive available through AFB’s website.
Keller spent half her life working on behalf of the American Foundation for the Blind, a journey that began a century ago in 1924. The world has undoubtedly transformed since Helen first joined AFB. Still, her impact and legacy remain as strong as ever, even as they battle some of the same social barriers that persist a century later.
Today marks the 144th birthday of Helen Keller, one of our nation’s greatest advocates and global ambassadors for goodwill. Keller dedicated her life to breaking down society’s misconceptions about people with disabilities. During her life, Helen wrote over 475 speeches and essays, authored 14 books, and visited 39 countries. These profound writings and travels were left in her estate to the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and are chronicled in the Helen Keller Archive, a completely accessible digital archive available through AFB’s website.
Keller spent half her life working on behalf of the American Foundation for the Blind, a journey that began a century ago in 1924. The world has undoubtedly transformed since Helen first joined AFB, but her impact and legacy remain as strong as ever, even as we continue to battle some of the same social barriers that persist a century later.
The film Celebrating Helen Keller's Birthday premiered this past February as part of the Golden State Film Festival at the TCL Grauman’s Chinese Theater in the heart of Hollywood. Since then, it has been accepted into four other festivals and received the 2024 Impact Doc Award for Excellence.
Possibilities witness Helen’s enduring impact as she continues to inspire people who are blind and deafblind to find their voice. At the same time, it serves as a stark reminder of the work that still lies ahead as we break down those misconceptions that continue to cast shadows on the whole and equal inclusion of people with disabilities.
We are excited for the year to come when we can share the film with an even wider audience and carry on Helen’s mission to change the perception of people with disabilities in our society. Of course, we can’t do this work alone. Visit the documentary page on our website to learn more about the film and how you can unlock the possibilities that tomorrow may bring for people who are blind, deafblind, and have low vision.
Lion Mel visited Helen Keller's home. Here are some images:
