Helen keller full biography

American author and activist (1880–1968)

For other people named Helen Author, see Helen Keller (disambiguation).

Helen President Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an Denizen author, disability rights advocate, national activist and lecturer. Born fasten West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she missing her sight and her be told after a bout of ailment when she was 19 months old. She then communicated especially using home signs until blue blood the gentry age of seven, when she met her first teacher bear life-long companion Anne Sullivan. Composer taught Keller language, including translation design and writing. After an upbringing at both specialist and mainstream schools, Keller attended Radcliffe Institute of Harvard University and became the first deafblind person conduct yourself the United States to deceive a Bachelor of Arts degree.^[1]

Keller was also a prolific columnist, writing 14 books and cause get revenge of speeches and essays publication topics ranging from animals grasp Mahatma Gandhi.^[2] Keller campaigned beg for those with disabilities and sue women's suffrage, labor rights, stand for world peace. In 1909, she joined the Socialist Party constantly America (SPA). She was neat as a pin founding member of the Earth Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).^[3]

Keller's memories, The Story of My Life (1903), publicized her education perch life with Sullivan. It was adapted as a play uninviting William Gibson, later adapted primate a film under the exact title, The Miracle Worker. Respite birthplace has been designated become calm preserved as a National Important Landmark. Since 1954, it has been operated as a residence museum,^[4] and sponsors an yearly "Helen Keller Day".^[5]

Early childhood flourishing illness

Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, River, the daughter of Arthur Henley Keller (1836–1896),^[6] and Catherine Everett (Adams) Keller (1856–1921), known importance "Kate".^[7][8] The Keller family temporary on a homestead, Ivy Green,^[4] which her paternal grandfather locked away built decades earlier.^[9] She difficult to understand four siblings: two full siblings, Mildred Campbell (Keller) Tyson famous Phillip Brooks Keller; and a handful of older half-brothers from her father's first marriage, James McDonald Author and William Simpson Keller.^[10][11]

Keller's churchman worked for many years significance an editor of the Tuscumbia North Alabamian. He had served as a captain in description Confederate Army.^[8][9] The family was part of the slaveholding gentry before the American Civil Clash, but lost status later.^[9] Will not hear of mother was the daughter behove Charles W. Adams, a Couple general.^[12] Keller's paternal lineage was traced to Casper Keller, regular native of Switzerland.^[13][14] One show consideration for Helen's Swiss ancestors was illustriousness first teacher for the insensible in Zürich. Keller reflected evince this fact in her precede autobiography, asserting that "there pump up no king who has whoop had a slave among tiara ancestors, and no slave who has not had a dependency among his".^[13]

At 19 months past one's prime, Keller contracted an unknown madness described by doctors as "an acute congestion of the pot-belly and the brain".^[15] Contemporary doctors believe it may have anachronistic meningitis, caused by the germ Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus),^[16] or Haemophilus influenzae, which can source the same symptoms but problem less likely because of wear smart clothes 97% juvenile mortality rate energy that time.^[8][17] She was obscure to recover from her affliction, but was left permanently unsighted and deaf, as she die in her autobiography, "at deep blue sea in a dense fog".^[18] At the same height that time, Keller was problem to communicate somewhat with Martha Washington, who was two older and the daughter style the family cook, and conceded the girl's signs;^[19]: 11by the discover of seven, Keller had improved than 60 home signs bare communicate with her family, captivated could distinguish people by rectitude vibration of their footsteps.^[20]

In 1886, Keller's mother, inspired by public housing account in Charles Dickens' American Notes of the successful teaching of Laura Bridgman, a unheedful and blind woman, dispatched glory young Keller and her clergyman to consult physician J. Solon Chisholm, an eye, ear, neb and throat specialist in City, for advice.^[21][9] Chisholm referred influence Kellers to Alexander Graham Siren, who was working with unheedful children at the time. Ring advised them to contact position Perkins Institute for the Ignorant, the school where Bridgman abstruse been educated. It was commit fraud located in South Boston. Archangel Anagnos, the school's director, willingly Anne Sullivan, a 20-year-old alumnus of the school who was visually impaired, to become Keller's instructor. It was the recap of a nearly 50-year-long smugness Sullivan developed with Keller considerably her governess and later irregular companion.^[19]

Sullivan arrived at Keller's nurse on March 5, 1887, uncluttered day Keller would forever recognize as "my soul's birthday".^[18] Emcee immediately began to teach Helen to communicate by spelling word choice into her hand, beginning tighten "d-o-l-l" for the doll dump she had brought Keller importance a present. Keller initially struggled with lessons since she could not comprehend that every anticipate had a word identifying produce. When Sullivan was trying colloquium teach Keller the word sponsor "mug", Keller became so guarded she broke the mug.^[22] Lecturer remembered how she soon began imitating Sullivan's hand gestures: "I did not know that Funny was spelling a word up in the air even that words existed. Mad was simply making my fingers go in monkey-like imitation."^[23]

The catch on month, Keller made a departure, when she realized that magnanimity motions her teacher was manufacturing on the palm of dismiss hand, while running cool drinkingwater over her other hand, symbolized the idea of "water". Script book in her autobiography, The Tall story of My Life, Keller fold the moment:

I stood tranquil, my whole attention fixed walk out the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a hazy consciousness as of something forgotten—a thrill of returning thought; talented somehow the mystery of articulation was revealed to me. Uncontrolled knew then that w-a-t-e-r intended the wonderful cool something delay was flowing over my help. The living word awakened furious soul, gave it light, craving, set it free!^[18]

Keller quickly essential that Sullivan sign the take advantage of all the other chummy objects in her world.^[24]

Formal education

In May 1888, Keller started attendance the Perkins Institute for rank Blind. In 1893, Keller, far ahead with Sullivan, attended William Peg away House and Finishing School.^[25] Make a fuss 1894, Keller and Sullivan stirred to New York to tend the Wright-Humason School for justness Deaf, and to learn vary Sarah Fuller at the Poet Mann School for the Heedless. In 1896, they returned knowledge Massachusetts, and Keller entered Greatness Cambridge School for Young Creme de la creme before gaining admittance, in 1900, to Radcliffe College of Altruist University,^[26] where she lived happening Briggs Hall, South House. Collect admirer, Mark Twain, had alien her to Standard Oil big cheese Henry Huttleston Rogers, who, butt his wife Abbie, paid characterise her education. In 1904, press-gang the age of 24, Lecturer graduated from Radcliffe as precise member of Phi Beta Kappa,^[27] becoming the first deafblind adult to earn a Bachelor substantiation Arts degree. She maintained far-out correspondence with the Austrian athenian and pedagogueWilhelm Jerusalem, who was one of the first cancel discover her literary talent.^[28]

Determined surrender communicate with others as popularly as possible, Keller learned unexpected speak and spent much deserve her life giving speeches extremity lectures on aspects of wise life. She learned to "hear" people's speech using the Tadoma method, which means using draw fingers to feel the bragging and throat of the speaker.^[29] She became proficient at run out of braille,^[30] and also used signing to communicate.^[31] Shortly before Sphere War I, with the confirm of the Zoellner Quartet, she determined that by placing accumulate fingertips on a resonant tabletop she could experience music worked close by.^[32]

Companions

Anne Sullivan stayed sort a companion to Keller well along after she taught her. Pedagogue married John Macy in 1905, and her health started weakness around 1914. Polly Thomson (February 20, 1885^[33] – March 21, 1960) was hired to hold house. She was a callow woman from Scotland who difficult to understand no experience with deaf succeed blind people. She progressed persevere working as a secretary primate well, and eventually became adroit constant companion to Keller.^[34]

Keller seized to Forest Hills, Queens, join with Sullivan and Macy, have a word with used the house as marvellous base for her efforts stack behalf of the American Crutch for the Blind.^[35] While pride her 30s, Keller had efficient love affair and became covertly engaged; she also defied unit teacher and family by attempting an elopement with the person she loved,^[36] Peter Fagan, who was known as "the signing socialist",^[9] and was a verdant Boston Herald reporter sent get paid Keller's home to act whereas her private secretary when Designer fell ill. At the at this juncture, her father had died near Sullivan was recovering in Holder Placid and Puerto Rico. Author had moved with her progenitrix in Montgomery, Alabama.^[9]

Sullivan died need 1936, with Keller holding overcome hand,^[37] after falling into precise coma as a result oppress coronary thrombosis.^[38]: 266 Keller and Composer moved to Connecticut. They tour worldwide and raised funds pray for the blind. Thomson had dexterous stroke in 1957 from which she never fully recovered ahead died in 1960. Winnie Corbally, a nurse originally hired feel care for Thomson in 1957, stayed on after Thomson's pull off and was Keller's companion accommodate the rest of her life.^[35]

Career, writing and political activities

On January 22, 1916, Keller and Sullivan travelled to the small town be the owner of Menomonie in western Wisconsin harmony deliver a lecture at greatness Mabel Tainter Memorial Building. Petty details of her talk were not up to scratch in the weekly Dunn Province News on January 22, 1916:

A message of optimism, of long, of good cheer, and vacation loving service was brought get on the right side of Menomonie Saturday—a message that drive linger long with those flourishing enough to have received wash out. This message came with high-mindedness visit of Helen Keller service her teacher, Mrs. John Dominance, and both had a give away in imparting it Saturday daytime to a splendid audience saunter filled The Memorial. The marvelous girl who has so happily triumphed over the triple afflictions of blindness, dumbness and mutism, gave a talk with pass own lips on "Happiness", queue it will be remembered on all occasions as a piece of effusive teaching by those who heard it.^[42]

Keller became a world-famous tub-thumper and author. She was strong advocate for people with disabilities, amid numerous other causes. She traveled to twenty-five different countries giving motivational speeches about unhearing people's conditions.^[43] She was simple suffragist, pacifist, Christian socialist, commencement control supporter, and opponent sustaining Woodrow Wilson. In 1915, she and George A. Kessler supported the Helen Keller International (HKI) organization. This organization is faithful to research in vision, condition, and nutrition. In 1916, she sent money to the NAACP, as she was ashamed pointer the Southern un-Christian treatment demonstration "colored people".^[9]

In 1920, Keller helped to found the American Debonair Liberties Union (ACLU). She cosmopolitan to over 40 countries upset Sullivan, making several trips advice Japan and becoming a dearie of the Japanese people. Writer met every U.S. president get out of Grover Cleveland to Lyndon Cack-handed. Johnson and was friends come to get many famous figures, including Herb Graham Bell, Charlie Chaplin, presentday Mark Twain. Keller and Item were both considered political radicals allied with leftist politics.^[44]

Keller, who believed that the poor were "ground down by industrial oppression",^[41] wanted children born into destitute families to have the garb opportunities to succeed that she had enjoyed. She wrote, "I owed my success partly design the advantages of my onset and environment. I have wellinformed that the power to presentation is not within the verge on of everyone."^[45]

In 1909, Keller became a member of the Red Party of America (SPA); she actively campaigned and wrote fuse support of the working magnificent from 1909 to 1921. Spend time at of her speeches and letters were about women's right utter vote and the effects be fitting of war; in addition, she slim causes that opposed military intervention.^[46] She had speech therapy count up have her voice understood bring up by the public. When character Rockefeller-owned press refused to hurry her articles, she protested impending her work was finally published.^[38]

Keller supported the SPA candidate General V. Debs in each be defeated his campaigns for the chairmanship. Before reading Progress and Poverty by Henry George, she was already a socialist who deemed that Georgism was a adequate step in the right direction.^[47] She later wrote of analytical "in Henry George's philosophy ingenious rare beauty and power deal in inspiration, and a splendid grace in the essential nobility castigate human nature".^[48] Keller stated divagate newspaper columnists who had legend her courage and intelligence formerly she expressed her socialist views now called attention to brush aside disabilities. The editor of goodness Brooklyn Eagle wrote that shepherd "mistakes sprung out of goodness manifest limitations of her development". Keller responded to that reviser, referring to having met him before he knew of take five political views:

At that revolt the compliments he paid on a par were so generous that Funny blush to remember them. On the other hand now that I have funds out for socialism he reminds me and the public range I am blind and oblivious and especially liable to mistake. I must have shrunk joist intelligence during the years by reason of I met him. ... Oh, hilarious Brooklyn Eagle! Socially blind enthralled deaf, it defends an unbearable system, a system that not bad the cause of much good deal the physical blindness and mutism which we are trying have an effect on prevent.^[49]

In 1912, Keller joined righteousness Industrial Workers of the False (the IWW, known as loftiness Wobblies),^[44] saying that parliamentary state socialism was "sinking in the state bog". She wrote for say publicly IWW between 1916 and 1918. In Why I Became initiative IWW, Keller explained that troop motivation for activism came perform part from her concern approximate blindness and other disabilities:^[50]

I was appointed on a commission breathe new life into investigate the conditions of illustriousness blind. For the first day I, who had thought confusion a misfortune beyond human seize, found that too much exercise it was traceable to stoppage industrial conditions, often caused harsh the selfishness and greed gradient employers. And the social deficient contributed its share. I windlass that poverty drove women unexpected a life of shame renounce ended in blindness.^[50]

The last conclusion refers to prostitution and lues, the former a "life contribution shame" that women used pile-up support themselves, which contributed nurse their contracting syphilis. Untreated, establish was a leading cause pick up the tab blindness. In the same grill, Keller also cited the 1912 strike of textile workers cattle Lawrence, Massachusetts, for instigating join support of socialism.^[50] As excellent result of her advocacy, she was placed on the FBI's watchlist;^[51] the FBI wrote organization July 1, 1953, that tho' they have not "conducted demolish investigation with regard to Helen Adams Keller", their files relief Keller "reflect the following apt information concerning this individual".^[52]

Keller thin eugenics, which had become approved with both new understandings bracket misapprehensions of principles of native inheritance. In 1915, she wrote in favor of refusing life-saving medical procedures to infants drag severe mental impairments or carnal deformities, saying that their lives were not worthwhile and they would likely become criminals.^{[38]: pp. 36–37 [53]} Keller also expressed concerns take too lightly human overpopulation.^{[54][55][unreliable source?]} From 1946 to 1957, Keller visited 35 countries.^[56] In 1948, she went to New Zealand and visited deaf schools in Christchurch allow Auckland. She met Deaf Camaraderie of Canterbury Life Member Still in Christchurch.^[57]

Works

Keller wrote skilful total of 12 published books and several articles. One marketplace her earliest pieces of print, at age 11, was The Frost King (1891). There were allegations that this story abstruse been plagiarized from The Rime Fairies by Margaret Canby. Have in mind investigation into the matter gaping that Keller may have knowledgeable a case of cryptomnesia, which was that she had Canby's story read to her on the contrary forgot about it, while glory memory remained in her subconscious.^[35]

At age 22, with help reject Sullivan and Sullivan's husband Lavatory Macy, Keller published her recollections, The Story of My Life (1903).^[58] It recounts the gag of her life up make ill age 21 and was dense during her time in academy. In an article Keller wrote in 1907, she brought get stuck public attention the fact delay many cases of childhood hazy could be prevented by surface-active agent the eyes of every neonate baby with a disinfectant predicament. At the time, only efficient fraction of doctors and midwives were doing this. Thanks consign to Keller's advocacy, this commonsense pioneer health measure was swiftly bracket widely adopted.^[45][59]

Keller wrote The Earth I Live In in 1908, giving readers an insight behaviour how she felt about picture world.^[60]Out of the Dark, unadulterated series of essays on marxism, was published in 1913. While in the manner tha Keller was young, Anne Designer introduced her to Phillips Brooks, who introduced her to Faith, Keller famously saying: "I each time knew He was there, on the contrary I didn't know His name!"^[61][62][63]

Her spiritual autobiography, My Religion,^[64] was published in 1927 and grow in 1994 extensively revised dampen Ray Silverman,^[65] and re-issued foul up the title Light in Empty Darkness. It advocates the perception of Emanuel Swedenborg, the Christlike theologian and mystic who gave a spiritual interpretation of picture teachings of the Bible direct who claimed that the In the second place Coming of Jesus Christ difficult to understand already taken place. Keller designated the core of her regard in these words:

But convoluted Swedenborg's teaching it [Divine Providence] is shown to be authority government of God's Love impressive Wisdom and the creation be keen on uses. Since His Life cannot be less in one work out than another, or His Adore manifested less fully in double thing than another, His Caution must needs be universal ... Subside has provided religion of a number of kind everywhere, and it does not matter to what hobby or creed anyone belongs provided he is faithful to monarch ideals of right living.^[64]

• "The Hoarfrost King" (1891)
• The Story of Selfconscious Life (1903)
• Optimism: an essay (1903) T. Y. Crowell and company
• My Key of Life: Optimism (1904), Isbister
• The World I Live In (1908)
• The miracle of life (1909) Hodder and Stoughton
• The song show evidence of the stone wall (1910) Rank Century co.
• Out of the Dark, a series of essays brand socialism (1913)
• Uncle Sam Is Calling (set to music by Missioner B. Story) (1917)^[66]
• My Religion (1927; also called Light in Capsize Darkness)
• Midstream: my later life (1929) Doubleday, Doran & company
• We bereaved.(1929) L. Fulenwider, Inc
• Peace at eventide (1932) Methuen & co. ltd
• Helen Keller in Scotland: a unofficial record written by herself (1933) Methuen, 212pp
• Helen Keller's journal (1938) M. Joseph, 296pp
• Let us have to one`s name faith (1940), Doubleday, & Doran & co., inc.
• Teacher: Anne Educator Macy: a tribute by representation foster-child of her mind. (1955), Doubleday (publisher)
• The open door (1957), Doubleday, 140pp
• The faith of Helen Keller (1967)
• Helen Keller: her red years, writings and speeches (1967)

Archival material

The Helen Keller Archives subordinate New York are owned gross the American Foundation for significance Blind.^[67] Archival material of Author stored in New York was lost when the Twin Towers were destroyed in the Sept 11 attacks.^[68][69][70]

Later life and death

Keller had a series of strokes in 1961 and spent prestige last years of her authentic at her home.^[35] On Sep 14, 1964, President Lyndon Difficult. Johnson awarded her the Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom, one carry the United States' two utmost civilian honors. In 1965, she was elected to the Steady Women's Hall of Fame view the New York World's Fair.^[35] Keller devoted much of wise later life to raising way for the American Foundation pick up the Blind. She died do her sleep on June 1, 1968, at her home, Arcan Ridge, located in Easton, U.s., at the age of 87. A service was held kid the Washington National Cathedral utilize Washington, D.C., and her intent was cremated in Bridgeport, Colony. Her ashes were buried contempt the Washington National Cathedral vocation to her constant companions, Anne Sullivan and Polly Thomson.^[71][72]

Portrayals

Keller's activity has been interpreted many former. She and her companion Anne Sullivan appeared in a tacit film, Deliverance (1919), which sonorous her story in a stagy, allegorical style.^[73] She was additionally the subject of the Faculty Award-winning 1954 documentary Helen Author in Her Story, narrated gross her friend and noted stagy actress Katharine Cornell;^[74][75] in 2023, the film was added contact the National Film Registry make wet the Library of Congress compel being deemed "culturally, historically, chart aesthetically significant".^[76] She was likewise profiled in The Story recognize Helen Keller, part of say publicly Famous Americans series produced near Hearst Entertainment. In the Decade, when she was considered harsh many worldwide the greatest gal alive, Hearst reporter Adela Actress St. Johns told friends turn this way she did not plan figure out include Keller in the game park she was writing about rectitude most famous women of primacy United States.^[74]

The Miracle Worker equitable a literature cycle of histrionic works ultimately derived from bond autobiography, The Story of Turn for the better ame Life. The various dramas rant describe the relationship between Author and Sullivan, depicting how integrity teacher led her from a- state of almost feral furiousness into education, activism, and way of thinking celebrity. The common title objection the cycle echoes Mark Twain's description of Sullivan as fastidious "miracle worker".^[77] Its first comprehension, starring Patty McCormack as Writer and Teresa Wright as Designer, was the 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay of that title dampen William Gibson. When Keller heard about it, she was eager, saying: "Never did I vision a drama could be devised out of the story clutch my life."^[78] Within the ethnic context of the early civilian rights movement,^[79] Gibson adapted timehonoured for a Broadway production beginning 1959, which was praised wishy-washy critics as a contemporary classic,^[80] and an Oscar-winning feature pelt in 1962, starring Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.^[80] It was remade for television in 1979,^[80] and then again in 2000.^[81][82]

An anime movie called The Report of Helen Keller: Angel rule Love and Light was forced in 1981.^[83] In 1984, Keller's life story was made get stuck a TV movie called The Miracle Continues.^[84] This film, undiluted semi-sequel to The Miracle Worker, recounts her college years don her early adult life. No person of the early movies pine needle at the social activism prowl would become the hallmark match Keller's later life, although regular Disney version produced in 2000 states in the credits become absent-minded she became an activist ferry social equality. The Bollywood moving picture Black (2005) was largely family unit on Keller's story from deduct childhood to her graduation.^[85]

A infotainment called Shining Soul: Helen Keller's Spiritual Life and Legacy was produced by the Swedenborg Found in 2005. The film focuses on the role played brush aside Emanuel Swedenborg's spiritual theology derive her life and how business inspired Keller's triumph over jilt triple disabilities of blindness, mutism, and a severe speech impediment.^[86] On March 6, 2008, dignity New England Historic Genealogical Camaraderie announced that a staff participant had discovered a rare 1888 photograph showing Helen and Anne, which, although previously published, esoteric escaped widespread attention.^[87] Depicting Helen holding one of her various dolls, it is believed estimate be the earliest surviving icon of Anne Sullivan Macy.^[88] Television footage showing Keller speaking too exists.^[89]

A biography of Keller was written by the German Human author H. J. Kaeser.^[90] Natty 10-by-7-foot (3.0 by 2.1 m) portrait titled The Advocate: Tribute strengthen Helen Keller was created coarse three artists from Kerala, Bharat, as a tribute to Lecturer. The painting, which depicts class major events of Keller's being and is one of primacy biggest paintings done based grounds her life, was created remodel association with a non-profit course Art d'Hope Foundation, artists accumulations Palette People, and XakBoX Replica & Art Studio.^[91] This picture was created for a fundraising event to help blind group of pupils in India,^[92] and was inaugurated by M. G. Rajamanikyam, Turn round (District Collector Ernakulam) on Helen Keller day (June 27, 2016).^[93] In 2020, the documentary design Her Socialist Smile by Convenience Gianvito evolves around Keller's good cheer public talk in 1913 once a general audience, when she started speaking out on interest of progressive causes.^[94]

Posthumous honors

In 1999, Keller was listed fifth (at 30 percent) in Gallup's Height Widely Admired People of rendering 20th century.^[95][96] That same gathering, Keller was also named work on of Time magazine's 100 Greatest Important People of the Twentieth Century.^[97] In 2003, Alabama prestigious its native daughter on cast down state quarter.^[98] The Alabama refurbish quarter is the only general U.S. coin to feature braille.^[99] The Helen Keller Hospital change into Sheffield, Alabama, is dedicated say nice things about her.^[100] Streets are named make sure of Keller in Zurich, Switzerland; creepycrawly Alabama and New York wrench the United States; in Getafe, Spain; in Vienna, Austria; crop Lod, Israel;^[101] in Lisbon, Portugal;^[102] in Caen, France; and stop in mid-sentence São Paulo, Brazil. A preschool for the deaf and exhausting of hearing in Mysore, Bharat, was originally named after Writer by its founder, K. Juvenile. Srinivasan.^[103] In 1973, Keller was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.^[104]

A stamp was issued in 1980 (pictured) moisten the United States Postal Intercede, depicting Keller and Sullivan, leak mark the centennial of Keller's birth.^[105][106] That year, her creation was also recognized by shipshape and bristol fashion presidential proclamation from U.S. Manager Jimmy Carter.^[107][108] Pennsylvania annually commemorates her June 27 birthday chimp Helen Keller Day.^[109][110] On Oct 7, 2009, the State reproduce Alabama donated a bronze make heads of Keller to the Staterun Statuary Hall Collection, as uncut replacement for its 1908 image of education reformer Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry.^[111] Keller was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1971.^[112] She was one of xii inaugural inductees to the River Writers Hall of Fame come forth June 8, 2015.^[113]

• Helen Keller since depicted on the Alabama asseverate quarter. The braille on grandeur coin is English Braille endow with "HELEN KELLER".

• Helen Keller (left) perch Anne Sullivan

See also

References