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Hall of Fame: Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field

The Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field is dedicated to preserving, honoring, and promoting the tradition of excellence manifested by the individuals inducted into the Hall of Fame and through the history of outstanding services provided to people who are blind or low vision.

Mike May wears a suit as he speaks from a podium with the words

About

Members of the Hall of Fame make up a fascinating cross-section of heroes and pioneers who shaped our rich history, philosophy, knowledge and skills. These giants shared their personal lives and showed strategies to ensure services remain unique and specialized for people who are blind and low vision.

The establishment of the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field was announced in Louisville, Kentucky, in October of 2001 at the 133rd Annual Meeting of Ex-Officio Trustees and friends of the American Printing House for the Blind. The Hall has gained support from across the field, including from AER, AFB, and CEC-DVI.

We welcome your contribution. Please donate to support the Hall of Fame.

Find the Hall of Fame on Facebook and YouTube. You may also contact the Hall of Fame by sending an email to halloffame@aph.org.

  • The Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field is now accepting nominations for 2025 inductees. If you are interested in submitting a nominee, please read the information below and submit the form. The nomination process will close April 30, 2025.

    What are the Criteria?

    Persons who have made transformative contributions to improve the lives of those who are blind or low vision in such areas as:

    • Contributing to the Body of Knowledge
      • Scholarship
        • Program Development
        • Curriculum Development
        • Published Writing
          • Scientific Research
          • Practitioner Research
    • Contributing through Communication
      • Compelling Oral and Written Presentations
      • Staff and Parent Development
      • Public Education
      • Continuing Education
    •  Contributing through Leadership
      • Visionary and Strategic Planning and Implementation
      • Administrative Planning
      • Interagency Collaboration
      • Pioneering Innovations
      • Service in and through Professional Organizations
    • Contributing through Advocacy
      • Systems Change
      • Public Policy (federal, state, local)
      • Community Organizing
      • Capacity Building
        • Resource Development
        • Revenue Generation
    • Contributing through Mentorship and Role Modeling
      • Advancement of the Blindness Community
      • Assisting Practitioners and/or Administators
      • Serving as Exemplars
      • Public Attitudinal Change Agents
    • Contributing through Professional Practice
      • Exemplary and Transformative Direct Service
      • Innovative Practices
      • Sharing Knowledge and Experience
      • Impactful Presentations
    • Distinguished Champion of the field of Blindness and Low Vision
      • Legislative
      • Parental Contribution
      • Entrepreneurial/Commercial Enterprises
        • Access Technology
        • Pharmaceuticals
        • Adaptive Equipment
    • Sustainability
      • Contributions that have stood the test of time

    Who is Eligible?

    • Persons are eligible five years after departure from positions where their significant lifetime body of work was made.
    • Individuals from North America are eligible for nomination. (North America is defined as US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean).

    What is Required to Nominate Someone?

    Nominators must submit a comprehensive nomination packet including a thoroughly completed Hall of Fame Nomination Form and three letters of support. If more than three letters are received, only the first three will be used. Electronic submission of the form and the support letters is preferred. Letters of support may be emailed to Justin Gardner at jgardner@aph.org or mailed to him at APH, Hall of Fame, 1839 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206 or faxed to 502-899-2367.

    Where and when is Hall induction?

    • Although there is an annual call for nominations, inductions are not necessarily on an annual schedule.
    • The induction ceremonies will occur during the October Annual Meeting of the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky.

    How long do nominations remain active?

    • Nominations that are not selected are held and reconsidered the following year. If not chosen in the second year, nominations must be resubmitted as a new nomination.
    • Nomination forms and letters may be updated for the second year.

  • Check back soon for more information about the 2025 Hall of Fame Induction.

  • A

    Georgie Lee Abel
    Edward Ellis Allen
    Lulu (Lou) Johnson Alonso
    Loyal Eugene Apple
    Samuel Ashcroft
    Robert Atkinson Carl Augusto
    Carl Augusto

    B

    Samuel Bacon
    Edwin Albert Baker
    Natalie Barraga
    Mary K. Bauman
    Donald Blasch
    Warren Bledsoe

    C

    Charles F.F. Campbell
    Sir Francis Joseph Campbell
    Thomas Carroll
    Michael Collins

    D

    Cleo Dolan

    E

    William H. English
    Jane Erin

    F

    Eleanor E. Faye
    Kay A. Ferrell
    Martha Louise Morrow Foxx
    Morris Frank
    Sir Charles Frederick Fraser

    G

    Kathern Gruber

    H

    William Allen Hadley
    Frank H. Hall Verna Hart facing camera and smiling
    Verna Hart
    Phil Hatlen
    Euclid Herie
    Everett “Butch” Hill
    Richard Hoover
    Samuel Gridley Howe
    Kathleen M. Huebner

    I

    Douglas Inkster
    Robert Irwin

    J

    Kenneth Jernigan
    Laurence C. Jones
    Randall T. Jose

    K

    Ruth Kaarlela
    Helen Keller
    Alan Koenig
    Roy Kumpe

    L

    Berthold Lowenfeld

    M

    Ann MacCuspie
    Sally Mangold
    Durward McDaniel
    M.C. Migel

    N

    Abraham Nemeth

    P

    Arnall Patz
    Newel Perry

    R

    Alice Raftary
    Louis Rives
    Sally Rogow

    S

    Peter Salmon
    Ambrose M. Shotwell
    Robert J. Smithdas
    Susan J. Spungin
    Anne Sullivan
    Stanley Suterko
    Mary Switzer

    T

    Josephine Taylor
    Tuck Tinsley
    Dean Tuttle

    V

    Louis Vieceli

    W

    William Bell Wait
    Donald Wedewer
    Richard Welsh
    Robert H. Whitstock
    Russell Williams
    James Max Woolly
    Berdell “Pete” Wurzburger

    Z

    Trischa Zorn-Hudson

    • Bill Wiener (NC), Past Chair
    • Mike Bina (MD), Chair
    • Julie Hapeman (WI), Vice Chair
    • Kim Zebehazy (BC-CAN), Secretary
    • Justin Gardner (KY), Treasurer
    • Bernadette Kappen (NY)
    • Lee Nasehi (FL)
    • Mark Richert (DC)
    • Mary Nelle McClennan (PA)
    • Kay Ferrell (WA)