[Nfb-seniors] National Federation of the Blind Celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Louis Braille

[Chris Danielsen]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Public Relations Specialist
National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, ext. 2330

(410) 262-1281 (cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org








National Federation of the Blind Celebrates
the 200th

 Anniversary of the Birth of Louis Braille



Events to be Held Nationwide in Over One Hundred Locations



Baltimore, Maryland (December 29, 2008): The 
National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the 
nation’s largest and oldest organization of blind 
people, will hold events nationwide on Sunday, 
January 4, 2009, to promote Braille literacy and 
help celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of 
the birth of Louis Braille (1809–1852), the 
inventor of the reading and writing code for the 
blind that bears his name.  In over one hundred 
bookstores, libraries, and other venues all 
across the nation, National Federation of the 
Blind representatives will demonstrate Braille 
and the power of Braille literacy.



“There can be no doubt that the ability to read 
and write Braille competently and efficiently is 
the key to education, employment, and success for 
the blind.  Despite the undisputed value of 
Braille, only about 10 percent of blind children 
in the United States are currently learning 
it.  These events will help raise awareness of 
the importance of Braille literacy and are an 
integral part of our nationwide campaign to 
reverse the downward trend in Braille literacy 
and to ensure that equal opportunities in 
education and employment are available to all of 
the nation’s blind,” said Marc Maurer, President 
of the National Federation of the Blind.



The events are being held nationwide as part of 
the National Federation of the Blind’s Braille 
Readers are Leaders campaign, a national 
initiative to promote the importance of reading 
and writing Braille for blind children and 
adults.  The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign 
kicked off in July of 2008 with the unveiling of 
the design of a commemorative coin to be minted 
in 2009 in recognition of the two-hundredth 
anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille.  The 
commemorative coin design will also be previewed at the events.





For more information about the Braille Readers 
are Leaders campaign, please visit 
<http://www.braille.org/>www.braille.org.  To 
find out about events in your area, please 
contact Fredric Schroeder at <mailto:fschroeder at nfb.org>fschroeder at nfb.org.



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About the National Federation of the Blind


With more than 50,000 members, the National 
Federation of the Blind is the largest and most 
influential membership organization of blind 
people in the United States.  The NFB improves 
blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, 
research, technology, and programs encouraging 
independence and self-confidence.  It is the 
leading force in the blindness field today and 
the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 2004 
the NFB opened the National Federation of the 
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and 
training center in the United States for the 
blind led by the blind.  Please visit our Web 
site: <http://www.nfb.org>www.nfb.org.

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