Helen Keller

Photo from Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons

HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
Became deafblind as an infant, and subsequently was unable to learn to talk as a young child
Anne Sullivan, who also had a visual impairment, taught Keller sign language, and served as her interpreter through college
FIRST deafblind person to earn a bachelor's degree
Learned various ways of communication, including Braille, typing, and touch-lip reading
Wrote more than 12 books, and traveled the world speaking on disability and social issues, often as ambassador for the American Foundation for Overseas Blind, which she cofounded (and is now called Helen Keller International)
Advocated for women's suffrage, pacifism, and birth control
Cofounded the ACLU with Jane Addams and others
Honored with numerous awards, including the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Bibliography: Doyle, Caitlin. Girls Can Do Anything: From Sports to Innovation, Art to Politics, Meet Over 200 Women Who Got There First. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2016. Print.
Shen, Ann. Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2016. Print.
Caldwell, Stella, Clare Hibbert, Andrea Mills, and Rona Skene. 100 Women Who Made History: Remarkable Women Who Shaped Our World. New York: DK Publishing, 2017. Print.

Support these organizations dedicated to preserving her story & mission:

Helen Keller Birthplace
American Civil Liberties Union
Helen Keller International

Books by this Awesome Woman

Biographies for Kids and Young Adults

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller

(graphic novel format)

(picture book)

(picture book)

The Story of Helen Keller: A Biography Book for New Readers

A Girl Named Helen: The True Story of Helen Keller (American Girl)

Helen Keller: A photographic story of a life

Research

Helen And Teacher: The Story Of Helen Keller And Anne Sullivan Macy

Historical Fiction

Spread the word!

Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller movie

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Please note that while Awesome Women Library tries to include links only to media from reputable sources, we cannot attest to the quality or content of any media listed on this website. Our mission is to introduce you to these Awesome Women and give you a wide array of resources for learning more. We haven't read everything listed and are not a recommendation site, nor is this meant to be an exhaustive catalog of every book related to this woman -- there's just too much out there! Happy reading!!