Thomas Alva Edison - Born February 11, 1847, in Milan, OH. Died October 18, 1931; Last home address site: Orange, NJ.Inventor and scientist who received 1,093 patents and who said his deafness helped him concentrate on his experiments and research.
February 16, 1857 -- Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, known as Kendall School, opens. Founded by Amos Kendall Now a part of the Laurent Clerc Center of Gallaudet University.
Thomas Brown - Born February 25, 1804, in Henniker, NH; also his last home address site. Died March 23, 1886. First deaf American grassroots leader and a NAD seed planter in 1850s.First deaf politician in New Hampshire Organized the first deaf convention in America on September 26, 1850.
Edwin Allan Hodgson - Born February 28, 1854, in Manchester, England. Died August 13, 1933; last home address site: New York City.Second president and one of the three co-founders of NAD. Known as the driving force behind the founding of the NAD. Editor of Deaf Mutes’ Journal, one of the most popular, influential and widely […]
Deaf History MonthMarch 13-April 15, since 1997 To commemorate the three most important deaf cultural dates in American historyMarch 13, 1988: The victory of the Deaf President Now movement at Gallaudet University located in Washington, D.C. when the first deaf person was selected to become president of this 124-year-ole institutionApril 8, 1864: Charter signed by […]
Sophia Fowler Gallaudet - Born March 20, 1798, in Guilford, CT. Died May 13, 1877; her last home address site: Hartford, CT.Influential advocate to the US Congress on behalf of education of deaf people in the 1860s and who was known as "Queen of the Deaf Community" Deaf wife of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and mother […]
David Peikoff - Born March 21, 1900, in Yanoschina, Polava Province, Russia. Died January 28, 1995; last home address site: Greenbelt, MD.Dynamic leader who was known to hold the office of many deaf organizations and for his remarkable career in fundraising.
April 8, 1864 -- Charter signed by United States President Abraham Lincoln authorizing the Board of Directors of Gallaudet University to grant college degrees to deaf students. Dr. Edward Miner Gallaudet and Amos Kendall were the co-founders of Gallaudet University.
Byron Benton Burnes - Born April 13, 1904, in Batavia, IA. Died August 25, 1999; his last home address site: Martinez, CA.Taught many years at California School for the Deaf. Elected the 16th president of the National Association of the Deaf and remained president from 1946 to 1964, the longest presidential tenure so far.
April 15, 1817 -- Establishment of the first permanent public school in the Western Hemisphere for deaf students, now known as American School for the Deaf, located in Hartford, Connecticut. Laurent Clerc, Dr. Mason Fitch Cogswell and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet were the school co-founders.
Erastus “Deaf” Smith - Born April 19, 1787, near Poughkeepsie, NY. Died November 30, 1837; last home address site: Richmond, TX.Chief scout and spy for a Texas army; Texas’s folk hero. He helped Texas get independence from Mexico. One county in Texas was named "Deaf Smith" after him.
Robert P. McGregor - Born April 26, 1849, in Lockland, OH. Died December 21, 1926; Last home address site: Columbus, OH.First president and one of the three co-founders of NAD. Educator, administrator, writer, skilled orator and leader. Founder of the Ohio Home for the Aged and Infirm Deaf in 1896, now known as Columbus Colony.
Better Hearing and Speech MonthMay, since 1927To raise public understanding about hearing, voice, speech, and language disorders, and recognize speech and hearing professionals for the important work they do. American Speech-Language Hearing Association has library resources. www.asha.org
