Today In History; Helen Keller, Author

1880: Tuscumbia, Alabama was the birthplace of the famed deaf and blind American author, Helen Keller, born on this day in 1880. Losing her sight and hearing at the age of 19 months, Helen's demeanor became impossible to the people around her, which resulted in her parents seeking help from Alexander Graham Bell, who referred them to the Perkins Institute for the Blind. This is where Helen Keller's 49-year relationship with teacher Anne Sullivan began. Helen learned how to speak by touching the lips of others and how to spell in the palm of her hand. Helen's life mission was to help the disabled and went on to become a world-famous speaker and author. The story of how Anne and Helen's relationship developed was told in the play The Miracle Worker, which was later made into a movie.