1880-1968. US author. Born in Alabama, she
became blind and deaf after an illness when
she was only 19 months old. The teaching of
Anne Sullivan, her lifelong companion,
enabled her to learn the names of objects and
eventually to speak. She graduated with
honours from Radcliffe College in 1904;
published several books, including The Story
of My Life 1902; and toured the world,
lecturing to raise money for the blind.