Discover the World of Helen Keller: Top 19 Unbelievable and Inspiring Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Shakespeare Meets Beethoven

If you think you're a wordsmith, wait until you meet Helen Keller – she could give Shakespeare a run for his money with her Braille and ink repertoire: Keller authored more than a dozen books and 400 essays in her lifetime, with her most popular work, "The Story of My Life," translated into 50 languages and still in print today, advocating for education, job opportunities, women's rights, and equality for marginalized communities.
Source => pbs.org

2. Deafblind Wordsmith

If Shakespeare and Beethoven had a love child, it'd be Helen Keller: Deaf and blind yet profoundly eloquent, Keller authored 12 books and numerous articles on subjects from her life story to politics and social issues, captivating the hearts and minds of readers around the globe by using her remarkable tactile sign language.
Source => americaslibrary.gov

Did you know Anne Sullivan, the remarkable educator of Helen Keller, was once visually impaired herself? Discover how she overcame obstacles and left a mark on the world of education!

=> Fun Facts about Anne-Sullivan

3. Original Wonder Woman

As the original Wonder Woman capable of rendering Nazis speechless, Helen Keller's unwavering fight for social justice was nothing short of extraordinary: Co-founding the National Civil Liberties Union and authoring powerful books, which even the Nazis couldn't help but burn, Helen tirelessly championed the marginalized and oppressed, earning her well-deserved recognition, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Source => aph.org

4. World-Class Chatterbox

Who says you need all your senses to be a world-class gabber? Helen Keller, the ultimate chatterbox, silenced skeptics by spreading her wisdom far and wide: Despite being deafblind, Helen was a trailblazing orator who delivered speeches across the globe, advocating for the blind and deaf communities, women's suffrage, and pacifism, even addressing the US Congress.
Source => perkins.org

5. Touch of Genius

Talk about a touch of genius: Helen Keller, despite being both deaf and blind, managed to write 12 published books and numerous articles, ranging from her own autobiography to inspirational essays and works on social and political issues.
Source => radcliffe.harvard.edu

6. Presidential Pooch Parade

From "The Great Dane in Chief" to the "Boston Bull-etary": Helen Keller's life was a canine cavalcade of presidential proportions, with pups wise and loyal by her side: Among her treasured companions were Sir Thomas, a Boston bull terrier gifted by her Radcliffe College classmates who dutifully awaited her after class, and Sieglinde, the Great Dane who reigned supreme as the most beautiful and intelligent dog Keller ever had the fortune of calling her own.
Source => perkins.org

7. Blind Ambition Meets U.S. President

Who knew Helen Keller had a sense of "blind" ambition so strong it caught the eye of a U.S. President?: This remarkable woman, despite being deaf and blind, managed to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, author 12 books, speak in 35 countries, and even receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Lyndon B. Johnson for her advocacy work.
Source => themostlysimplelife.com

8. Literary Buzzing Bee

Though you might think she spent her days playing a never-ending game of hide-and-seek with her senses, Helen Keller was actually one busy bee, buzzing around the literary and social activism scenes: She managed to pen 14 books, a multitude of articles about disability rights, women's suffrage, and socialism, and wooed audiences worldwide with her inspirational speeches, all while juggling the hurdles of being deaf and blind.
Source => spokesman.com

9. Keller's Killer Fashion & Activism

Forget Helen's killer fashion sense: This deaf-blind icon was a tireless advocate for suffrage, workers' rights, and civil liberties – even donating to the NAACP and co-founding the ACLU! More than just the envy of every philosopher in the land, Keller kickstarted kindergartens for the blind and embarked on a globe-trotting career to help establish schools for the deaf and blind in 39 countries.
Source => perkins.org

10. Silent-Film Helen Keller Biopic

Before Anne Hathaway sang about dreaming a dream: Helen Keller got her own silent-film biopic in 1919 called "Deliverance," featuring actors mimicking Helen and her teacher, Anne Sullivan, but also including the real-life duo and Keller's family members, all directed by George Foster Platt and written by Francis Trevelyan Miller – a preserved copy is stored in the Library of Congress film archive for your viewing pleasure.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Keller's Star-Studded Squad

Move over Hollywood elite, Helen Keller had her own star-studded squad: Counting among her close friends Eleanor Roosevelt, Katharine Cornell, and Nancy Hamilton, Keller charmed the who's who of influential figures with her down-to-earth personality and appreciation for meaningful connections.
Source => afb.org

12. Vocal Gymnastics Struggles

They say talking to yourself is a sign of genius, but for Helen Keller, it was a lifelong battle of vocal gymnastics: Despite her mastery of braille and manual sign language by age ten, Helen struggled with speech and relied on the Tad-Oma method, touching her teacher's cheek for vocal cues, but never quite finding satisfaction in her hard-to-understand spoken words.
Source => afb.org

13. Renaissance Wonder Woman

Who knew this trailblazer was also an undercover Titanic-era Renaissance woman? Pairing wit with political activism, Helen Keller can strut her stuff on stage and hobnob with literary gurus: This witty wonder was not only an early supporter of the NAACP, a vaudeville performer, and a feminist but also a socialist, an author, and a friend of none other than Mark Twain!
Source => pbs.org

14. A-List Tea Party

Move over, Forrest Gump, Helen Keller had her own A-list tea party: In 1954, Keller attended a gathering at Katharine Cornell's Martha's Vineyard property, mingling with guests like Eleanor Roosevelt, Joseph Lash, and Trude Wenzel Lash, even exploring Roosevelt's face with her fingers and reading her lips. We all need an invite list like that!
Source => afb.org

15. Penmanship Powerhouse

Who needs printers when you have Helen Keller's penmanship skills?: This deaf-blind powerhouse authored several books ranging from autobiographies like "The Story of My Life" and "Midstream: My Later Life" to essays on topics like optimism and religion, and even a biography of her bestie and teacher, Anne Sullivan, titled "Teacher: Anne Sullivan."
Source => perkins.org

16. Deafblind Globe-Trotter

Hold on to your hats and glasses, folks, because Helen Keller was the original globe-trotter before it was cool, giving even Carmen Sandiego a run for her money: With her unquenchable wanderlust, Keller visited over 35 countries throughout her life, not only inspiring people with disabilities but also advocating for women's suffrage, labor rights, and pacifism through her prolific writings.
Source => afb.org

17. Social Justice Columnista

Move over, Carrie Bradshaw: Helen Keller was the original "columnista" advocating for social justice with style! Behind the byline of hope, Helen wrote for Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, The Rotarian, and even had a monthly column in a women's magazine during the 1930s, touching upon women's rights, workers' rights, and education equity, all while sharing her DeafBlind sensory experiences.
Source => pbs.org

18. Classic Literature Lover

You may believe Helen Keller's taste in literature was a bit "touch and go," but she knew a classic when she felt one: Keller's all-time favorite book was Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes' "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table," which she read so frequently that she nearly had it memorized, often laughing aloud as the words came to life beneath her fingertips.
Source => perkins.org

19. VIP World Tour

Spinner of tales and sonic chameleon, Helen Keller was on a world tour more exclusive than the VIP section at a Beyonce concert: Deaf and blind from a young age, she not only became a widely-read author and sought-after speaker, but also rubbed elbows with presidents, prime ministers, and other global bigwigs, championing causes like women's suffrage, civil rights, and disability rights.
Source => al.com