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Helen Keller (1880-1968)
Click
here to see a 1920 portrait of Helen Keller
(from the American Federation for the Blind web
site)
Helen Keller was a great woman who was born on June 27,1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Helen was not born blind and deaf, but when she was one and a half years old she got a bad disease. She had a high fever that lasted a few days. After her illness she was left blind and deaf. Helen's parents thought it would go away, but Helen remained blind and deaf.When Helen was young she did bad things like lock her mom in the pantry. She once pushed the cradle with the baby in it, and she cut some of her friend's hair off.
Helen's parents went to see Alexander Graham Bell who found a teacher named Anne Sullivan to help her. She taught her how to read by spelling words on her hand. She also used the Braille alphabet. Anne Sullivan made a difference in Helen Keller's life by teaching her how to communicate.
Helen was very smart and even went to college. When she was older she joined many foundations for the blind, gave lectures and wrote a lot of books. Many famous people liked to meet her. During World War II she visited soldiers in the hospital who had been blinded by fighting. Helen went all over the world to talk to people.
Helen Keller was a great person who helped people realize that they could overcome their handicaps as she had. Helen Keller had the ability to help people by giving them hope that they could live a wonderful life with a disability.