12 Famous Blind People and Their Remarkable Contributions to Humanity
We have made this list of famous blind people because we believe that motivation and admiring other people is a very prominent way to succeed in our personal lives. And where we are talking about the blind people (those who have disability in their lives) still they made their impact in their and other lives so we have a responsibility of thinking better and goodness.
Our list is covering the most 19 famous blind people who have done remarkable in the field of writing, thinking, singing, discovering, exploring, activism etc. And we will give a touch of their contribution, early life what they have done and how we have to take inspiration from them. We have collected most of the data from Wikipedia and other sourcing websites but we are presenting this post in our presentable and inspiring form.
Content in this post we have covered:
- Intro: What our motive is
- 12 Famous blind people list of all time
- Conclusion
- Other posts that might be enjoyable for you to read
Below is the list of the Blind person's.
1. Helen Keller
- Contribution: Activist, Author, Educator
Helen Keller an American author, activist, and lecturer, who experienced a double challenge of being both blind and deaf was able to conquer these obstacles. At 19 months of age, she lost her sight and hearing as a result of an illness. Even with such difficulties, Keller learned to communicate with her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who taught her language using touch-based methods. This was the first time in history a deaf-blind person graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Radcliffe College, which was in the year 1904.
For her entire life, Keller was a staunch supporter of people with disabilities, and she co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and worked with organizations such as the American Foundation for the Blind. Moreover, she was one of the main supporters of women's suffrage, labor rights, and pacifism. Her legacy continues to live on today as a symbol of resilience, and her work is still a source of inspiration for the movements that are advocating for disability rights and inclusivity around the world.
2. Stevie Wonder
- Contribution: Musician, Songwriter, Activist
Stevie Wonder known as the famous American musician, singer, and songwriter whose real name is Stevland Hardaway Judkins. As a result of being born blind, he became one of the youngest signed artists of the Motown's Tamla label at just eleven years old. By then he was already a worldwide star. His mixture of soul, funk, jazz, and R&B created the biggest revolution in music with the likes of "Superstition," "Isn't She Lovely," and "Sir Duke." Also, in his songs, Wonder became a civil rights and social justice advocate, as well as a driving force behind Martin Luther King Jr.'s national holiday creation.
Apart from that, he has been involved in several projects like, for instance, hunger relief and disabilities awareness. Stevie Wonder's nonpareil inventions in music technology such as synthesizers have had such a tremendous effect on many artists. His everlasting legacy is a visionary one who steered the course of music and pushed for equality, thereby influencing both art and activism in the most significant way.
3. Louis Braille
- Contribution: Inventor, Educator
Louis Braille was born in Coupvray, France. When he was just three years old, he got a sharp point in his eye that caused an infection and finally blinded him at the age of five. Undeterred by his disability, Braille outperformed his fellow students at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. His invention of the Braille system, a tactile code of raised dots that enabled blind people to read and write conveniently, at the tender age of 15 was a remarkable feat. His design was a close copy of a military night writing code but with a few adjustments to make it more universal.
Although Braille was against the institutions of education in his lifetime, his invention became widely recognized all over the world after he passed away. Nowadays, data has been spread all over the world, helping millions of blind persons to access literature, education, and independence. His legacy remains as a revolutionary figure in accessibility, who transformed the way blind people interacted with the written word forever.
4. Ray Charles
- Contribution: Musician, Composer
Ray Charles, a musician who was born in 1930 in Albany, Georgia, became blind from glaucoma at the age of seven, yet he never allowed his handicap to limit him. A musical genius, he was an accomplished pianist and had a particular combination of blues, jazz, gospel, and country that changed the attitude of American people to music. Charles became a worldwide celebrity with his songs like "What'd I Say" and "Hit the Road Jack" in the 1950s which earned him the title "The Genius". His crossover appeal was a reason for breaking racial barriers in the music industry, thus, making him a major player in the process of American culture integration.
Ray was also a forerunner of soul music, therefore, he had an impact on the career of many artists through generations. Moreover, his role in civil rights was notable, as he refrained from playing in segregated venues in the 1960s which was an important time in U.S. history. Having received 17 Grammy Awards, his work is still relevant today. His legacy lives on through his music, charitable activities, and his role as a symbol of defeating adversity with brilliance and innovation.
5. Tilly Aston
- Contribution: Author, Activist, Educator
Tilly Aston was a blind Australian who spent her childhood in the pleasant and sunny life of Victoria, Australia. In her seventh year of life, she was deprived of her sight but she has never lost her will to live and her passion to learn. Aston was the first eunuch to get a bachelor's degree in Australia and thus broke the record by being the only woman to do so. Along with the help of like-minded people, she founded the Gutenberg Association, a literature bank that provides blind people with books in their language. It was then that they set up the Braille Society or the Organization for the Blind and their Ventures.
Among other things, she was the one that pressed for the launch of Braille books that could be sent free of charge and also won certain rights for the blind in Australia. Her remarkable work is carried on in the advocacy field and serves as a source for other visually impaired people worldwide. Her contribution to the lecture and the responsibility of the accessible living in-young people while at the same time becoming the cause of significant change in the blind community. It had the community greator cohesions and much better collaboration.
6. Andrea Bocelli
- Contribution: Opera Singer, Songwriter
Andrea Bocelli was born in Lajatico, Italy. He is a recognized tenor of the opera and one of the most renowned classical music crossover artists in the history of the world. He lost his sight at the age of 12, not only due to the football incident but also the congenital glaucoma, but Bocelli's strength in moving on had enabled him to pursue a musical career where he mixes classical opera and pop music to make his voice famous globally. His successful entry into the field of music in the year 1994 that was due to his victory at the Sanremo Music Festival contributed a great deal towards enlarging the territories of his international musical career. Bocelli sold 90 million vinyl records in the whole world. Songs like "Con te partirò" and "Time to Say Goodbye" are the most popular hits.
He began to collaborate with artists from different music genres, for instance, Celine Dion and Ed Sheeran, to bring opera to the wider audience of average, everyday people. Bocelli, other than being a musician, he is a philanthropist who started the foundation in 2011. Through this foundation, he seeks to eradicate poverty and promote education, and healthcare. His participation in both music and humanitarian work saw him become a guiding light in different spheres such as hope, passion, and the unity of the world.
7. Harriet Tubman
- Contribution: Abolitionist, Humanitarian
Harriet Tubman was raised in Maryland, in slavery, and then became one of the most popular abolitionists in American history. She operated 13 times to the south, and was able to free 70 people and took them to the northern part of the USA by clearing the Underground Railroad. Tubman worked as a spy, a nurse, and a scout for the Union Army during the Civil War time, furthermore, she became a vital part of the fight against slavery. Regardless of all her problems, she was still strong enough to be a flashlight of grace for the people of her time. That way, she fought the might of slavery which was the biggest issue in the United States in the 1800s.
To the women, she also donated her own time of office to secure equal rights, for the ordinary people. The woman still makes the essence of the basic human rights she fought to live with. Her due appreciation including the planned honoring on the U.S. $20 bill.
8. John Milton
- Contribution: Poet, Intellectual
John Milton is known to the audience as an English poet, polemicist, and intellectualized versatility, through "Paradise Lost", his famous verse, the gem in literature that highlights topics such as free will, sin, and redemption. He spent his early years in London, Milton was educated in the classics at St Paul's School and then at Christ’s College, Cambridge. A strong advocate of the English Republic, he published political leaflets, in which he he hurled insults at the king, he demanded freedom of speech, and he foretold the abolishment of the monarchy. His prose works, for example, "Areopagitica" were in fact the very first who has stood the bar for freedom of the press and democratic concepts.
It was Milton’s later years when he was blind, yet still, he wrote; one person was just there to write for him. He wrote the most significant poetic works such as "Paradise Lost", "Paradise Regained", and *Samson Agonistes*, and this made him be well-known as the greatest poet of English. His works on literature, politics, and philosophy are still living, which reveals to us his impact on modern topics like freedom and the power of language to inspire change.
9. James Holman
- Contribution: Explorer, Author
James Holman, popularly known as the “Blind Traveller”, was a British author and traveler who first made the blind person’s journey around the globe. He was born in Exeter, took a 25-year sabbatical, and then lost his eyesight to an illness while serving in the Royal Navy. But Holman, who despite his blindness was still able to go to the world of the “greats”, set forth his travels to various regions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. His incredible travels took a distance of more than 250,000 miles, using memory, touch, and sound to find his way to the world. Holman wrote several books about his travels, in which he described colorful and lively places and cultures of different eras of the Earth. He was a member of the Royal Society and his contribution to the geographical knowledge of remote areas was substantial.
His strong willpower made people think of disability differently and showed that blindness was definitely not a limit for an explorer. Holman’s heritage continues as a motivation for travelers and supporters of accessibility, as well as a reminder of the strength and curiosity that one faces adversity with.
10. José Feliciano
- Contribution: Musician, Composer
José Feliciano was born in Puerto Rico on September 10, 1945, and he is a legendary singer, song and virtuoso guitar player. Although he lost his sight due to congenital glaucoma, at a very young age, Feliciano had a strong desire for music, which eventually made him a master of many instruments. He first become popular in Europe in the 1960s when he made a very soulful version of "Light My Fire" by The Doors, which made him famous all over the world. Feliciano is the one who gets the title of the global holiday anthem best known for his classic Christmas song, "Feliz Navidad" which has shaped it as such throughout history. He consistently merged musical styles such as Latin, jazz, pop, and rock in his work and opened the door for the crossing of cultural and linguistic borders in the world of music.
He is one of the first Latin artists to get this much recognition and he has won many awards including several Grammy Awards. His music aside, Feliciano is a passionate advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, thus he has become a role model for many people all over the world. He is a pioneer artist and cultural icon whose legacy is still felt and followed by many music makers.
11. Zohra Sehgal
- Contribution: Actress, Dancer
Zohra Sehgal, a revolutionary Indian actress and dancer who passed away in 2014, was known for her vivacity and love of life. She was born in Saharanpur, India, and was taught modern dance by Uday Shankar, after which she went on to tour the world. She was a well-known name in the performing arts. Sehgal made the switch to acting in the 1940s, participating in a number of Indian movies, and subsequently, in British television and film. In particular, she collaborated on the films "Bhaji on the Beach" and "Bend It Like Beckham. Her career was over seven decades long, and she was honored for her lively screen presence, which helped to break the stereotypes of aging. The gift that Sehgal has given to the world is her influence on dance, theater, and cinema, being a muse for many generations of artists. At her funeral, she received many awards, including the Padma Vibhushan, for her commitment to the arts.
12. Erik Weihenmayer
- Contribution: Adventurer, Author, Motivational Speaker
Erik Weihenmayer is a blind adventurer author and speaker who has had a great influence on people. He was born in 1968. and he lost his vision at the age of 14 because of retinoschisis, but he never allowed blindness to limit his potential. Erik was the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 2001, which was a landmark event that made headlines around the world. He has since completed the Seven Summits, the tallest peaks on each continent, which are a testament to his extraordinary resilience.
Erik is not just a hero for his adventures. Through his organization, "No Barriers", he helps people overcome their physical and mental challenges and become stronger. Erik's books like "Touch the Top of the World" and "No Barriers" motivate people to consider their adversities as a way to growth. His work shows the world that limitations are usually self-imposed, and his life is a proof of the strength of perseverance bravery and making a difference.
Final Remarks:
Above are all the blind persons who live's are admirable not only for the persons with disabilities but to every human being in the planet earth, but even we have to thought that the above blind people even with their disability can do such wonders and inspiring others then we have to do also which will help humanity any way. Bye the way it all depends on our-selves that how we see our-slef that how much we are capable of doing things.
This post written by the author of the BlindNav (non-profit organization and an application which helps blind people to navigate around their surroundings) and we also believe in helping the other or serving the humanity in any way and we are also in a race in motivating other.
Our Android-Application is open-source to the developers on github and encourage to the developers who want to contribute in any way and we are also open to any suggestions from any person. You can find more details on our home page blindnav.live
"This post is written by a human and no use of AI so this post may contain any grammar or punctuation mistakes because we are human and small mistakes can happen by chance."