Connect the Dots: Celebrating Helen Keller

We celebrated a very special woman at the Saint Matthews Eline Library on June 15. Born on June 27, 1880, Helen Keller is arguably the most recognizable DeafBlind figure in history. Her ferocious activism paved the way for many underrepresented groups of people, and continues to impact many of those communities today. Those who attended the event participated in activities led by APH staff who are also blind or low vision, showing children and their families how young Helen Keller learned to communicate, read, and write ─and how those skills helped her become a world-famous activist at a very young age. They also learned how Helen’s activism as an adult helped create a more inclusive world. Justin Gardner, APH’s Helen Keller Archivist, led a session showing some of Helen’s most notable documents and photographs from her life. Children and their families also learned how to handle and care for precious artifacts from the collection. Of course, no birthday celebration would be complete without cake, so we celebrated by passing out cupcakes to all the families who joined us for our June event.

Each of our Connect the Dots programs mirror the messages of The Dot Experience and help people explore the kinds of activities we will offer in our new venue. It should come as no surprise that Helen Keller will play a pivotal role within our museum. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Helen Keller Archival Collection is the world’s largest repository of letters, speeches, press clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, architectural drawings, artifacts, and audiovisual materials relating to Helen Keller. Currently housed at APH, the collection will be integrated into galleries at The Dot Experience when it opens in 2026. It is through this collection that we meet Helen’s parents and teachers, learn about her educational journey and struggles, and are with her as she begins finding her voice and developing into a national and global change maker and human rights activist. Helen Keller’s voice and other compelling first-person stories from APH customers, community, and staff will come together to provide well-rounded perspectives on their successes, struggles, realities, hopes, and hurdles surrounding the world of blindness and the human experience.

We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome guests! Until then, make sure to join us at our Connect the Dots events and be sure to follow The Dot Experience on Facebook and X for updates on the museum.