Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille

Russell Freedman (1929-2018) was a renowned nonfiction writer. He is best remembered for his biographies. Previously a journalist, Freedman became a full-time writer in 1961. In particular, Freedman was interested in producing accessible biographies tailored to children and young adults. His books are credited with enabling children to learn about a range of historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Marco Polo. He also wrote historical nonfiction, such as on World War I and the Freedom Riders.

Louis Braille (1809-1852) invented the eponymous raised-dot alphabet for the blind. Braille became blind as a very young boy, when an infection damaged both his corneas after an accident in his father’s workshop. Braille proved himself to be intelligent and capable, navigating around his town of Coupvray, outside of Paris, and participating enthusiastically in school lessons.

At the age of ten, Braille started to attend the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Whilst there, he was exposed to Captain Charles Barbier’s system of sonography, a system of raised dots and dashes which detonated sounds and phrases. Braille was inspired to create a more accessible system for reading and writing which could be used by people who are blind, such as himself.