Public Invited to Louis Braille's 200th Birthday Celebration
December 23, 2008
The Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), located at 1839 Frankfort Avenue, will host a free event on Saturday, January 3rd, 2008 from 12:30-3:00 p.m. at the Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind.
Louis is turning 200 and we're celebrating with all things French! Come to the museum on Saturday, January 3 from 12:30-3:00 p.m. to explore the tastes, sights, and sounds of Louis Braille's Paris home. Experts on Braille's life, and the music, food, and fashion of France in the 1820s will share some of the influences that helped shape this boy genius and hero of book lovers everywhere.
The event is free, but registration is required. Call 899-2365 by January 2 to register.
Schedule of Events
- 12:30: The Life of Louis Braille: Join Museum Director Mike Hudson for a short overview of Braille's life and work. Born the same year as Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, Braille would grow up to change the world for people with vision loss.
- 1:00: The food of the Braille era. Join the co-host of WKJK Radio's Soundprints, Michael McCarty, and the owner of Louisville's premium French Restaurant, Le Relais, Anthony Dike, for a tasty exploration of some vintage French food. Coq au Vin (Chicken with Wine) from Le Relais, King Cake from Plehn's Bakery, and a variety of French breads and cheeses will be available for you to taste.
- 1:30: The Braille Code. Join Louisville Free Public Library Reference Librarian Kathy Szinnyey for an explanation of the method behind the genius of Louis Braille's code and a demonstration of the writing tool Braille gave to the world.
- 2:00: The literature of the Braille Era. Join American Council of the Blind Board Member Carla Ruschival for a few fun readings from Braille versions of French classics like The Three Musketeers, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Madame Bovary.
- 2:30: The music of the Braille Era. Join violinist Barbara Henning and Museum Director Mike Hudson for a voyage of discovery through the composers, classical music, and folk tunes of Braille's Paris, culminating with a performance by Henning of Maria Theresa Paradis' Sicilienne in E flat major.
ABOUT APH:
2008 marks the 150th anniversary of The American Printing House for the Blind, a 501©(3) non-profit organization. APH is the world's largest company devoted solely to researching, developing, and manufacturing products for people who are blind or visually impaired. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest organization of its kind in the United States. Under the 1879 federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind, APH is the official supplier of educational materials for visually impaired students in the U.S. who are working at less than college level.
APH manufactures textbooks and magazines in braille, large print, recorded, and computer disc formats. APH also manufactures hundreds of educational, recreational, and daily living products. APH's fully-accessible web site (www.aph.org) features information about APH products and services, online ordering of products, and free information on a wide variety of blindness-related topics. One popular feature of the site is the Louis Database, a free tool to help locate accessible books available from organizations across the U.S. APH products can be ordered through Louis.
The American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. is located at 1839 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information, call (502) 895-2405 or log on to www.aph.org. To watch a video about APH, visit the YouTube site: http://youtube.com/user/aphftb
CONTACTS:
Roberta Williams, (502) 899-2357, rwilliams@aph.org
Ali Shaw, (502) 262-8580, ali@m2-maximummedia.com
Jennifer Montgomery, (502) 418-6819, Jennifer@m2-maximummedia.com