Born to wealth in Alabama, Keller lost her sight and hearing before she was two. She learned to read braille, communicate through sign as well as speech, and graduated from Radcliffe College in 1904. She was the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree.

After college Keller became a renowned speaker and author, gaining fame advocating for her community. Best remembered as an activist for disabled peoples, Keller also spoke out for woman suffrage, birth control, and pacifism. She was also a radical socialist who focused her efforts on working people’s issues and became a member of the International Workers of the World.

Later in life she advocated against U.S. imperialism and railed against the power of wealth in government. In 1920, the same year as the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Keller co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union. Then as now, the American public celebrated Keller’s activism for women and disabled people while glossing over her more radical politics and her efforts on behalf of woman suffrage.