Helen Adams Keller, like any other ordinary child, was born on June 27 1880, in Alabama to Arthur Henley Keller and Catherine Everett (Adams) Keller. She had four siblings and two half-brothers. Nobody at that time knew that this child was destined to live an extraordinary life, though she was going to have a tough childhood, nobody had expected. So here is the story of a girl who defeated what many succumbed to, who went on to become a national hero admired by many throughout the world and to this date!
Helen was just over two and a half years old when she fell ill. Due to limited healthcare at that time, doctors did not know the disease she had caught. Some believe it might have been Scarlet Fever or Meningitis. Although she was able to recover, the illness took away her ability to see or hear. She was left blind and deaf for her entire life! She described this as ‘at sea in a dense fog’ in her autobiography. A young child not able to express herself, this illness had a devastating effect on Helen.
A few years passed with the household full of Helen’s screams and despair. Her parents could see their daughter suffer. They started looking for remedies. In 1886, Helen’s mother made her meet a physician, J.J. Chisholm, an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist. He referred them to Alexander Graham Bell, who was dealing with deaf people at that time. Bell advised them to reach out to the Perkins Institute for the Blind for help. Helen’s father wrote a letter to the institute, which soon sent Anne Sullivan to become Helen’s instructor. What Helen Keller went on to become in the future it's all because of Anne Sullivan’s determination and undying support that she gave to her!
Anne Sullivan came to Helen’s house on 5th March 1887, sparking a 50-year relationship with her until her death. Helen later referred to that day as ‘my soul’s birthday.’ Anne taught Helen her first words the moment she entered the house. She had brought her a doll and finger-spelt the word on Helen’s palm. This is how she started teaching her that the objects around had names associated with them. It wasn’t easy to teach a girl who had lost her happiness, but these small steps did manage to boost her confidence. Once, while Anne was finger spelling the word mug, Helen got frustrated and broke the mug. It was a tough but fruitful period in Helen’s life. After a month, she began spelling the words back to Anne and her parents, bringing joy to the entire family. Her first word was water, followed by mom and dad and finally teacher for Anne Sullivan!
From May 1888, Helen Keller started her formal education, attending numerous institutes, schools and colleges. She had mastered Braille at the age of 10. Her first book, ‘The Story of My Life,’ was published in 1903 and sold more than 50,000 copies. The book told the story of her life up to the age of 21. She passed out with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1904, becoming the first deaf blind person to do so. She also became a close friend of Mark Twain, who admired her and funded her education. Helen had learnt to hear speeches by placing her fingers on the lips and throat of the speaker. She also learnt to understand music by placing her fingertips on a resonant table close to the source of the music.
Helen Keller entered into active writing and political activities around 1909. Helen Keller became a socialist, being a member of the Socialist Party of America (SPA) since 1909 and actively supported labour rights. She supported women’s right to vote in elections and was against wars and industrial oppression. She also joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in 1912. She gave speeches of optimism and hope. She became an advocate for people with disabilities, founding the Helen Keller International (HKI) organisation to research vision, health and nutrition. She became a popular author and speaker all over America. She also gave funds to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for the treatment of colored people in the heavily racial American society at that time. She also founded the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1920. Although Helen Keller was loved by many because of the way she fought her struggles, she was always on the radar of the government and the FBI because of her socialist and leftist stands. The FBI, though it never conducted an investigation, had even labelled her as a dangerous individual!
And this is not the end! Helen Keller visited over 35 countries throughout her life! She was a fan favourite in Japan. She became a political advisor to many presidents across the world on disability rights. She also became close friends with Charlie Chaplin and Alexander Graham Bell, the initiators of her journey to global success! And if all this wasn’t enough, she even flew a plane in 1946! Can you imagine a deaf blind person flying a plane? Helen Keller defied all odds and was determined to fulfil her dreams. Although she flew for only 20 minutes, she recalled those moments as “The plane’s vibrations spoke to me, freedom tasted like wind over Paris.”
All these years, Anne Sullivan travelled with Helen as a loyal companion, making sure she never suffered any problems. Around 1914, another woman, Polly Thomson, was hired to be with Helen. Anne died in 1936, with Keller beside her. After her, Thomson took care of Helen until she died in 1960. Winnie Corbally was a nurse who had been hired to take care of Thomson during her final years. After her death, she became Helen’s companion till Helen died.
Helen Keller was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a high civilian honour in the US. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1965. Even in her final years, Helen Keller raised funds for the American Foundation for the Blind. She died in her sleep on June 1 1968, at the age of 87. She was cremated, and her ashes were buried beside her companions, Anne Sullivan and Polly Thomson. Helen Keller was also nominated in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Important People of the 20th century. Streets in America, Switzerland, France, Spain, Austria, Israel, Portugal and Brazil were named after her. Such was her influence!
Helen Keller’s life is not just an inspiring story; it’s a reminder of the strength of sheer willpower. Although she acknowledges that her family and the environment she grew up in were catalysts in her journey, it can’t be denied that her determination to live an extraordinary life despite being deaf blind was the reason why we all know and love her to this date. With the support of a fantastic teacher, Anne Sullivan and her fierce intellect, Helen became a global icon for disability and civil rights. Helen Keller didn’t just defeat the odds; she redefined them!