No close family anniversaries. Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on this date in 1880: author, lecturer, and activist Helen Keller.
When she was 19 months old, an illness (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) rendered Keller both blind and deaf for life. Her courage and perseverance, and that of her parents and others, resulted in a long and productive life. Keller’s work set off a radical change in the way we view people with severe handicaps. One of those “others” was Keller’s tutor, friend, and long-time companion Anne Sullivan. Their relationship was immortalized in the play (and film) “The Miracle Worker.”
