January 4: Louis Braille is Born in Coupvray, France (1809)

Prayer Idea

Pray for people who are blind and for their family members.

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History Note

Louis Braille (1809-1852) became blind at age three in an accident. He went to Paris, France, in 1819 to attend the National Institute for Blind Children.

Louis Braille learned about a system of writing using dots that could be felt. At age 15, Braille began to develop his own system using a six-dot code that people who were blind could create with a simple instrument and read using their fingers.

Braille became a teacher at the school in Paris and published his method of writing in 1829. In addition to being an educator, he became a talented musician.

After Braille’s death, his writing system spread to other countries. Named after its creator, Braille has been adapted for use with many world languages.

This statue honoring Louis Braille is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Aguiarbpc / Shutterstock.com.

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Learn More

Learn how 15-year-old Louis Braille invented a revolutionary tactile code for the visually impaired.

(Please Note: The video describes how Braille lost his sight through an injury and infection. It also mentions that when his remains were reburied, his hands were kept by his hometown.)

Learn more about Louis Braille and other people with blindness at Homeschool History.