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Editor’s Note: This post has been updated as of June 2025 to reflect new information about Helen Keller’s legacy and the preservation of her work.
It may be hard to imagine, but Helen Keller – born June 27, 1880 – and her beloved teacher and friend, Annie Sullivan, were their era’s equivalent of TikTok stars.
Annie famously taught DeafBlind Helen to learn language by forming letters in her hand, after which Helen learned to write, read braille, speak, and give public speeches. When Helen was an adult, they traveled the world as celebrities, educating people about the abilities of people who are DeafBlind, blind, and low vision.
From an early age, Helen wrote letters to kings, queens, and princes around Europe. Later, she befriended famous people such as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, many U.S. Presidents, and many writers and authors – including Mark Twain. Helen and Annie even visited him at his estate. They actively engaged with the media.
Following an Unexpected Path to Success
In addition to her voluminous collection of letters, Helen published approximately a dozen books, most of which are still in print. She traveled to 35 countries, giving speeches and raising millions of dollars for The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), her employer for 44 years. Helen championed causes of other blindness organizations worldwide and became somewhat of a goodwill ambassador for the United States.
Despite Helen’s evident determination, her life was shaped by a series of coincidences.
It’s interesting to consider whether Helen Keller would be a well-known figure today if she hadn’t become ill as a child and lost her sight and hearing. Her parents consulted several doctors, including Alexander Graham Bell, a leading expert in special education. This connection led her to the Perkins School for the Blind and, eventually, to Annie Sullivan. Had these events not occurred, it’s plausible that she would have married at 19, raised a family, and perhaps published a few newspaper articles; otherwise, her life might have remained largely unrecorded in history.
Leading an Inspiring Life
Throughout her lifetime, Helen worked hard to improve herself and the lives of others. She was the first person who was DeafBlind to earn a college degree in the United States from Radcliffe College, at a time when many people didn’t think women should even go to college. Although she did learn braille, Helen still often communicated with the help of Annie spelling into her hand. However, Annie was not allowed to be with Helen during any of her exams because there was an incorrect assumption that it was Annie who was actually doing all the work.
Radcliffe did not provide any accommodations. Accommodations were made possible through the help of Annie and Helen’s many friends, who paid to have her textbooks transcribed into braille. She took notes in class using a slate and stylus, a handwriting tool for taking braille notes.
In other words, Helen earned the degree all on her own, with accommodations of the time – just as a student would today. This was even more challenging because, at the time, there was no universally accepted form of braille. One test Helen took was in the form of braille she’d only been acquainted with a few days before, yet she persevered. She went on to learn braille in German and French – proving she had an incredible gift for language and communication. Ultimately, Helen preferred the braille that’s the standard today and used a braille writer. She was also an excellent typist who typed up the manuscripts and speeches she wrote in braille. As she became increasingly famous, she had a team to assist her, including Annie and, later, Polly Thomson, who would review her typewritten work.
Establishing a Legacy
Helen went on to be an outspoken advocate for many issues. She didn’t simply stand up for people who are DeafBlind, blind, or have other disabilities. She was an advocate for all people. Many people know Helen for her childhood story, but we do her a disservice if we don’t learn more about her adult life and the causes she championed. During a period of widespread book burning in Germany before World War II, Helen Keller’s work was targeted. She penned a letter to the student body, directly addressing their actions. The letter began with the impactful line: “History has taught you nothing if you think you can kill ideas.”
Helen Keller Archives
AFB has created a digital archive of all of Helen Keller’s letters, writings, news clippings, artifacts, and more – including that cablegram – which are accessible to anyone at any time.
Both Helen and Annie wrote in their wills that they wished some of their historical materials to be preserved in a small museum and available for public display. APH has partnered with AFB to help realize that dream. In early 2020, APH began gathering Helen and Annie’s historical materials. APH has acquired 22 pallets worth of items from AFB—among those loaned items is Helen’s writing desk. For those who want to learn even more about Helen and Annie, both the Keller family home in Alabama and Perkins School for the Blind have wonderful collections that complement the APH exhibit.
The Dot Experience, APH’s museum, will incorporate many more artifacts from Helen and Annie’s collections.
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