Helen Keller is one of the co-founder's of ACLU and one of the 20th century humanitarians. She was the first deaf-blind person to have earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree. Helen was also an author, political activist, and a lecturer.Helen was born in Alabama, and she had an illness which left her deaf and blind. Keller's teacher was Anne Sullivan, she helped Keller with communication and Keller went to college and graduated in 1904. Keller's father was an officer in the confederate Army during the civil war. Arthur who was Helen's sister became the editor of a local newspaper called, The North Alabamian. Keller had her senses when she was 6 months old, and started walking at the age of 1. In 1882, Kellers mother noticed that whenever the bell rung or a hand was waved in front of her face, she didn't show any expression and was 18 months years old at that time. By the time Keller was 7, Martha and Helen would communicate to each other by sign and created about 60 signs altogether. Helen started working with Anna Sullivan who was a recent graduate of Perkins Institute for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1887, Helen was thought finger spelling, at first Helen wouldn't cooperate then once she did, she had a hard time distinguishing between the objects and the words. Helen's ability to perform and the teachers skills was noted by Alexander Graham Bell and Mark Twain where they stated, "The two most interesting characters of the 19th century are Napoleon and Helen Keller." Helen had also published "The Story of my life" in 1903, her story was translated into 50 other languages. Helen also protested U.S. Involvement to get involved in World War 1. Helen had joined the American Foundation For the Blind (AFB) and has been working with them for 40 years. This organization gave her a platform to advocate for people with sight loss and she was traveling and advocating, "state commissions for the blind were created, rehabilitation centers were built, and education was made accessible to those with vision loss."