Literary Landmark: Hellen Keller Public Library
Helen Keller Public Library - Helen Keller
Tuscumbia, Alabama
Dedicated: June 23, 2022
Helen Adams Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27, 1880. Keller lost her sight and hearing at the age of two after an illness. At the age of six, Keller and her parents visited the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. The school’s director suggested Keller work with Anne Sullivan, a recent graduate of the institute. Sullivan traveled to the Keller home in Tuscumbia and began teaching Keller finger spelling, then Braille. Keller, who died in 1968, would become known internationally as an advocate for persons with disabilities.
Helen Keller saw herself first and foremost as a writer. The written word was how she was able to best communicate with thousands of people around the world. She wrote several books, perhaps the most notable being The Story of My Life, an autobiography that was the inspiration for the beloved play and movie The Miracle Worker. She also wrote over 475 speeches and essays.
The Helen Keller Public Library was established in her honor in 1893 by the Helen Keller Library and Literary Association, whose members included Annie Sullivan and Keller’s mother.
"Reading has been the chief pleasure of my life... " – Helen Keller
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