Navigating Communication: Breaking Invisible Barriers

The inaugural exhibition of the Dennis G. Pappas Historical Collections Gallery explores vision and hearing loss and the Deaf, Blind, and DeafBlind communities.

The story of Alabamian Helen Keller is well-known. Keller became deaf and blind early in life, but with the support of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, Keller learned to communicate through a combination of sign language and touch. She became the first DeafBlind person in the United States to earn a college degree.

However, the history of the Deaf, Blind, and DeafBlind communities neither begins nor ends with Helen Keller. Classical scholars, medieval writers, early modern physicians, and modern scientists discuss remedies and social treatment for these communities, and yet the experiences of the Deaf, Blind, and DeafBlind are often overlooked.

Even as our understanding of and treatments for auditory and visual impairments have improved, barriers remain for those with vision and hearing loss. This exhibition contributes to understanding the lived experiences of the Deaf, Blind, and DeafBlind communities and provides a glimpse into our knowledge about and treatment for vision and hearing loss.

Navigating Communication: Breaking Invisible Barriers is open through August 2025.