Helen Keller

                 Helen Keller

Birth-Death: June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968

Residence (city, state, or region): Grew up in Tuscumbia Alabama. Resided in New York for a short period of time before moving to Connecticut.

Occupation:

·      Author

·      Political Activist

·      Lecturer.

What’s this person best known for? Keller is known best for her various accomplishments while being a deaf blind person. Accomplishments also include:

·      Was Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

·      Was elected in the National Woman’s Hall of Fame in 1965.       

·      Listed in the Gallup’s Most Widely Admired People of the 20^th Century

·      Honored as the native daughter for the Alabama state quarter in 2003

·      Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama

·      Preschool for the deaf and hard of hearing named after her in Mysore, India

Race/Ethnicity/Religion (if important):

Politics: 

Keller became a radical socialist and supported the rights of laborers as well as equal rights for woman and African Americans. She was also a vocal supporter in woman's rights to vote and birth control as well as  spoke worldwide for the rights of handicap and for anyone she considered oppressed. She opposed war and spoke about both world war I and II. Traveled to 39 countries to speak over her issues.

Major Activities in the 1930s:

·      Appears in a newsreel in 1930 that explains how she learned how to talk. Famous quote, “I am not dumb now”

·      Moved to Connecticut in 1936

·      Anne Sullivan, whom is her teacher and critical part of her life, passed away in 1936

Major Works (include dates and place of publication where applicable):

The Frost King (1891)

The Story Of My Life (1903)

The World I Like In (1908)

Out Of The Dark (1913)

My Religion (1927)

Light In My Darkness (1994)

Places where figure’s work often appears (magazines, radio, nightclubs, galleries):

·      Books

·      Television

Organizations s/he belongs to, causes s/he supports:

·      Founder of Helen Keller International, organization devoted to research in vision, health and nutrition.

·      Member of the socialist party

·      Founder of American Civil Liberties

Best sound bites by or about this figure, including source (if this person is a writer, you must include a quote by him or her):

·      

§  News reel of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller

·      “The best and most beautiful thing in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.”

·      “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”

·      “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”

Was this person a popular or critical success? Both

Fun Facts to Know and Tell:

·      Helen Keller was not born blind or dead but instead contracted an illness at 19 months.

·      Helen Keller introduced the Akita dog to the United states.

Titles of the 1-3 “texts” (writing, photos, songs, etc.) by this person you’ll discuss in your paper (include date and place of publication, if applicable):

1.  News Reel of Helen Keller and Ann Sullivan

Major influences on this person’s work (what’s on the bookshelf):

·      Mark Twain
Alexander Graham bell 

·      Charles Dickens’ American Notes, told the story of the education of another blind and deaf girl and inspired her mother to seek out help.  

·       Supported candidate Eugene V Deb

Connections: 
Lewis Mumford and Keller composed letters condemning Natzi book burning.


Langhston Hughes wrote a poem over keller.








Work Cited 
NNDB, Tracking The Whole World , http://www.nndb.com/people/074/000046933/ 

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller