Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27th, 1880, in the small town of Tuscumbia in Alabama, United States of America. She became deaf and blind when she was only 19 months old, after becoming very sick with a very high body temperature. So she could neither hear nor could see. Her mother noticed that something was not right when she didn't respond to the dinner bell or when a hand was waved in front of her face.
Although Helen Keller tried to communicate with others, she often screamed and attacked people because she was frustrated. Her family described her as a little monster.
No one could help her until she met a teacher named Anne Sullivan, in 1887. Anne Sullivan was also partially blind but was very patient with her until Helen could communicate and knew how to read books using Braille.
Braille is a series of raised dots on paper that can be read using fingers. With the help of Anne Sullivan's teachings and Helen's hard work in studying, Helen learnt how to communicate with other people.
In 1890, she went to Perkins School for the blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, to learn how to speak. When Helen was 19 years old, she went to study at Radcliffe College of Harvard University. She was the first deaf-blind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree. Helen tried to help other disabled people all her life.
Helen wrote many books, spoke to people all around the world. She spoke about her life as a disabled person. She was an activist who fought for the rights of women and people with disabilities. Helen Keller lived to the age of 87. In her efforts to bring some social change, she became famous and inspired many people worldwide.
