Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 1.djvu/597

 PUBLIC LAW 96-278—JUNE 17, 1980

94 STAT. 547

Public Law 96-278 96th Congress Joint Resolution To authorize and request the President to proclaim June 27, 1980, as "Helen Keller Day".

June 17, 1980 [S.J. Res. 127]

Whereas, Helen Keller was left incurably blind and deaf at the age of nineteen months; Whereas, through her own determination and faith, and through the patience and understanding of her devoted teacher, Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller overcame the disability of blindness and deafness, became fluent in the use of sign language, mastered the Braille alphabet, and learned to speak; Whereas, after her personal victory over her disabilities, Helen Keller turned her life and ambitions to the services of others, demonstrating to the world that her disabilities were minor compared to her talent and abilities; Whereas, for more than a half century, Helen Keller has been a sjmabol of courage and faith serving to encourage and benefit millions of her fellow handicapped in America and throughout the world, serving to educate the nonhandicapped to the potential of handicapped persons; Whereas, with limitless stamina and energy, Helen Keller dedicated her life to others, giving unceasingly—speaking, writing, traveling, and working constantly to improve the conditions of deaf and blind people; Whereas, as counselor to the American Foundation for the Blind, she guided programs to advance economic, cultural, and societal opportunities of deaf and blind persons throughout the United States and was instrumental in launching a new era of work to advance these opportunities; Whereas, through the Helen Keller World Crusade for the Blind, Helen Keller inspired programs for the education and rehabilitation of blind persons around the globe and became the primary force which led to increased awareness of the problems faced by the handicapped; Whereas, wherever she went Helen Keller was received with a massive outpouring of love and admiration, being honored by heads of state, and being acclaimed by all; Whereas, Helen Keller's spirit will endure as long as man can read and stories can be told of the woman who showed the world that there are no boundaries to courage and faith; and Whereas, June 27, 1980, marks the one hundredth anniversary of Helen Keller's birth in Tuscumbia, Alabama: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the Helen Keller United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation Day. Designation

authorization.

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