How long will it take you to identify this woman?
This is her life:
- She was born in 1880 to a prominant family in a small southern town.
- She was a bright child who did well in her studies.
- She was home schooled and then , unusual for the time, she attended Radcliff University graduating cum laude (Harvard had refused her admission).
- She never married but became renowned as a world traveling lecturer, good will ambassador, and writer of magazine articles and best selling books.
- Her accomplishments were such that in her long life she received many awards including Brazil's Order of the Southern Cross; Japan's Sacred Treasure; the Philippines' Golden Heart; Lebanon's Gold Medal of Merit; was made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, and her own country's highest honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- The Presidential Medal of Freedom came after a life where she met and was honored by virtually every president and many world figures, such as Charlie Chaplin, Nehru, Katharine Cornell, Alexander Graham Bell, Mark Twain and William James
- Mark Twain described her as one of the two most interesting characters of the 19th century. The other one was Napoleon. William James wrote, "Whatever you were or are, you're a blessing!"
- During her lifetime, she lived in many different places—Tuscumbia, Alabama; Cambridge and Wrentham, Massachusetts; Forest Hills, New York, and her last home in Easton, Connecticut
- On the 50th anniversary of her graduation, Radcliffe College granted her its Alumnae Achievement Award.
- In 1955 A film of the story of her life won the Academy Award as the Best Feature Length Documentary.
- Her life story came as a play to Broadway in 1959 and won four Tony Awards leading to a motion picture that won two Oscars.
- She passed away on the first of June in 1968 at the age of 88.
- For over 86 of those 88 years she was both blind and deaf.
How was your day and what did you do with it?
1880 - 1968
"Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything good in the world."
This was one where I knew who you were talking about immediately. I just didn't know where you were going with it. Sobered me up in a hurry, you did.
ReplyDeleteShelly sent me - and I knew immidiately too!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday :)
I came, I saw, I visited awhile...I often do, will comment more frequently....
ReplyDeleteI didn't know many of the factoids on helen keller. thank you for sharing! I learned of her through the movie with sallie fields. it was a great movie.
ReplyDeletepeace, Villager
sarge and i went to her childhood home in alabama and saw where she lived in a small house very near the big house but she thought she lived miles away. it was really interesting.
ReplyDeletesmiles, bee