Helen Keller

At age 19 months, Helen Keller contracted an illness that left her death and blind. Anne Sullivan became Keller’s instructor, teaching her how to communicate using her hands. Keller attended a series of prestigious schools, including Radcliffe College. In 1904 at age 24, Keller became the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor’s degree. Keller would go on to become a famous speaker and writer, publishing 12 books. She was also an advocate of various causes, including people with disabilities, women’s suffrage, pacifism, and birth control for women. Keller died in her sleep, a few weeks short of her 88th birthday.