Helen's Life

Helen was extremely active after college joining the suffragist movement for women and also joining the socialist party. She also at the same time wrote a book titled The World I Live In, which revealed for the first time her thoughts on her world. (“Helen Keller Biography”) Helen was also avid support of the Handicapped, especially the blind and deaf like herself, which is what she founded and promoted the American Foundation for the blind. She and Anne toured the world making speeches and lectures not only in America, but also abroad, in the hopes of turning The American Foundation for the blind into a global organization. Helen was able to convince wealthy people like Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller to donate to her cause. Also to raise money for her cause Helen starred in a couple silent films about her life. All the touring, however, took a toll on Anne who fell ill from bronchitis. Helen’s mentor and life long friend, Anne Sullivan, died on 20, October 1936. Helen, however, continued touring after Anne’s death in tribute to her, using long time secretary and friend Polly Thompson as her voice. They took a break during WWII but picked up soon after it and toured mostly over seas until Polly had a stroke in 1957. Polly never fully recovered from her stroke and died soon afterwards. After Polly’s death, Helen lost the will to continue touring and decided to retire to her house in Arcan Ridge. She, however, made one more public appearance in 1964 when she traveled to Washington D.C. to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nations highest civilian award, from President Lyndon Johnson. Helen Keller died on June 1, 1968 at Arcan Ridge in her sleep. Helen life was spent in the service of those who can’t speak or hear for themselves. In her own Words “the public must learn that the blind man is neither genius nor a freak nor an idiot. He has a mind that can be educated, a hand which can be trained, and ambitions which it is right for him to strive to realize, and it is the duty of the public to help him make the best of himself so that he can win light through work”. (“Helen Keller Kids Museum”)