Helen(title picture)

The Life of Helen Keller

By VivianL

  • Birth

    Birth
    Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880. Her birthplace was Tuscumbia, Alabama.

  • Became Ill

    Became Ill
    She was struck with "brain fever" and, because of it, she became blind, deaf, and mute.

  • Progress in Communication

    Progress in Communication
    Anne Sullivan, her teacher, started to help Helen to communicate and, slowly, they were making progress. The first word Helen fully understood was "water."

  • Horace Mann School for the Deaf

    Horace Mann School for the Deaf
    At the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in Boston, she started to take speech classes.

  • Wright-Humason School for the Deaf

    Wright-Humason School for the Deaf
    Starting in 1894, Helen Keller attended the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York City until 1896.

  • Cambridge School for Young Ladies

    Cambridge School for Young Ladies
    Helen attended a prepatory school for women called Cambridge School for Young Ladies in 1896.

  • Publication of Her Book: The Story of My Life

    Publication of Her Book: The Story of My Life
    helen wrote the first volume of her autobiography called The Story of My Life while she was in college; it was published as a book in 1902.

  • Graduation

    Graduation
    In 1904, Helen graduated college from Radcliff College.

  • Married

    Married
    John Macy and Helen Keller got married in 1905. At that time, Macy was a teacher at Harvard, a social critic, and a prominent socialist.

  • As a Member of the Socialist Party

    As a Member of the Socialist Party
    Starting in 1909, Helen wrote myriad articles about socialism and supported Eugene Debs, the Socialist Party candidate for president. She did this from 1909 to 1921.

  • Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

    Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
    Helen joined the IWW in 1912.

  • Helen Keller International

    Helen Keller International
    George Kessler and Helen Keller founded the Helen Keller International to fight the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition.

  • ACLU

    ACLU
    Keller participated in the founding of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

  • American Federation for the Blind

    American Federation for the Blind
    Keller became a member of this in 1924. She was part of numerous campaigns to raise awareness, money, and support for the blind.

  • Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal

    Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal
    One of the various honors Keller received in recognition of her accomplishments during her lifetime was the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal in 1936.

  • Traveling

    Traveling
    Beginning in 1946, she started to travel to 35 countries in five continents until 1957.

  • American Foundation of Overseas Blind

    American Foundation of Overseas Blind
    She was appointed counselor on international relations for the American Foundation of Overseas Blind. She starts by traveling to England, France, Greece, Italy, and Ireland for them.

  • Trek Across Asia

    Trek Across Asia
    She went on the trip of her life, which was a five-month journey across Asia. Keller went on this 40,000-mile trek when she was at age 75.

  • Several Strokes

    Several Strokes
    During this time, she started to suffer a series of strokes.

  • Presidential Medal of Freedom

    Presidential Medal of Freedom
    In 1964, Helen was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the bountiful awards she got.

  • Election to the Women's Hall of Fame

    Election to the Women's Hall of Fame
    One of the great honors Helen obtained was the honor of being elected to the Women's Hall of Fame in 1965.

  • Death

    Death
    Sadly, Helen Keller died on June 1, 1968 in her home in Connecticut. She died in her sleep. This was a few weeks before her 88th birthday. She became a legacy.