My history hero: Rain Newton-Smith chooses Helen Keller (1880-1968)

In profile

Helen Keller was an American writer and activist. Having lost her sight and hearing at just 19 months old, she later learned how to speak, read and write. She became a prolific author and campaigner for blind and deaf people, women’s suffrage and world peace. In 1964, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Lyndon Johnson. Her ashes were interred at Washington National Cathedral with long-time companions Anne Sullivan and Polly Thomson.

When did you first hear about Keller?

It was when I was eight or nine years old, growing up in Canada, and I borrowed a book about her from my local library. I was fascinated to learn how a teacher, Anne Sullivan, was able to connect with this deaf and blind child, and to teach her the basics of language – spelling out words such as ‘water’ on her hands – which unlocked a whole new world for her. I was also struck by the fact that Helen didn’t just go on to live a long life but became an advocate for people with disabilities, as well as a speaker and author.

What kind of woman was she?

She was one of five children born to a Confederate captain-turned editor, once part of Alabama’s slave-owning elite. After being struck deaf and blind as a baby, Helen initially got by using simple sign language to communicate. She learned to rely on taste, smell and touch, using her hands to read people’s lips. Despite never being able to speak as clearly as she might have liked (something she always regretted), she became a public speaker, though her words were translated for her audience by one of her constant companions – first Anne Sullivan, later Polly Thomson.

• Read more | 9 things you (probably) didn’t know about Helen Keller

What made her a hero?

The incredible tenacity and resilience she showed in overcoming her disabilities. After learning to read and write, she thrived at school and graduated from university – one of very few women then undertaking higher education. Most impressively of all, she sought to use the power of language to change the world, becoming a powerful advocate for women’s suffrage and disability rights, among other issues. She helped transform perceptions of what it was to be deaf and blind at a time when people with such disabilities were often placed in asylums and distanced from society.

What was her finest hour?

First, her campaigning, which helped lead to improvements in the lives of people with disabilities. Second, her role in nurturing the American Foundation for the Blind, which she supported for the rest of her life.

Can you see any parallels between her life and yours?

The Confederation of British Industry, like many organisations, has had its ups and downs. And though I’ve never had to face the sort of adversity that Helen did, I’ve been inspired by her resilience and persistence, and have even used her quotes in speeches. Like her, I’m naturally an optimist at heart. Many of the things she said still resonate with me today – for instance: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

What would you ask Keller if you could meet her?

I’d love to get her take on today’s world, and find out how she thought we could best advocate for change on behalf of the less advantaged.

Rain Newton-Smith has been the chief executive of the Confederation of British Industry since 2023, and was its chief economist 2014–23

This article was first published in the December 2025 issue of BBC History Magazine