Studio portrait of Helen Keller with Mr. Arthur Gilman. Keller is seated and Gilman stands. He is fingerspelling into her hand

Digitized Helen Keller and Arthur Gilman collection 

This digitized collection spans the period from Anne Sullivan’s arrival in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1887 through her studies at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies under the supervision of Arthur Gilman in 1896, and her entrance to Radcliffe College in 1899.

Accessibility

Our goal is provide resources that are accessible to all

The “Helen Keller and Arthur Gilman Collection” has been digitized and made available on the Internet Archive website, which utilizes optical character recognition (OCR) and downloadable file formats, including Daisy, to provide access to users who are blind and visually impaired. We acknowledge that OCR is prone to errors, and cannot recognize graphics or handwritten text, thus creating barriers to these materials. It is our intention that by providing the materials as is, the resource is findable online to all. If any of Perkins Archives resources accessed online aren’t accessible in part or in whole, to a user because of a disability, we will create an accessible version upon request. 


These lists link to digitzed materials from this collection. The first group are selected materials on Flickr with full transcription. The second group is a list of entire boxes, gouped into series sub-series, that digitzed and available on the Internet Archive. More detailed information about the full list of correspondence is available on the collection finding aid.

Accessible digitized copies on Flickr

Selected digitized correspondence and manuscripts with full transcriptions and descriptions. The list is arranged by series and sub-series, then by date, earliest to latest within.

Helen Keller and family correspondence, 1887-1897

Correspondence from Helen Keller to Michael Anagnos, 1889-1891, Helen Keller to others, 1887-1897, Letters to Helen Keller, 1896-1898, and other correspondence, 1897. Includes Helen Keller’s first letter written, June 17, 1887, and letters she wrote to family members.

Gilman’s notes on Helen Keller’s work at the Cambridge School, 1896-1897

Bound journal, mostly empty, of Arthur Gilman’s notes on Helen Keller’s education at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies in Cambridge, Massachusetts run by Gilman. Gilman discusses Keller’s coursework, examinations, comments from teachers, methods of instructions, and her trips, travels and visitors. Spans June 12, 1896 to January 6, 1897

Notes on Miss Helen Keller’s work, 1896


Digitized collection on the Internet Archive

The list is arranged by collection series or sub series title, then box number. A digitized copy of each box has been digitized and is available on the Internet Archive in its entirety, but transcriptions may be error-prone or missing altogether when handwritten. Learn more about Perkins Archives digitized text and how to request accessible resources.

Helen Keller and family correspondence, 1887-1897

Correspondence from Helen Keller to Michael Anagnos, 1889-1891, Helen Keller to others, 1887-1897, Letters to Helen Keller, 1896-1898, and other correspondence, 1897. Includes Helen Keller’s first letter written, June 17, 1887, and letters she wrote to family members.

Box 1, folders 1-12 1887-1895

Letters to Anne Sullivan, 1896-1897

Correspondence to Anne Sullivan from correspondents that include Alexander Graham Bell, and Arthur Gilman.

Box 2, folders 1-4, undated, 1887-1899

Anagnos, correspondence and writings about Helen Keller, 1887-1899

Correspondence from Anne Sullivan to Michael Anagnos, correspondence from Captain Arthur Keller to Anagnos, and manuscripts likely authored by Anagnos.

Box 2 , folders 5-11, undated, 1887-1899

Helen Keller’s journals, 1895

Box 2, folder 12, undated, 1887-1899

Arthur Gilman

Correspondence to Arthur Gilman, 1896-1904,

William Wade correspondence

Correspondence from William Wade predominantly to Arthur Gilman, including many letters written to Wade by others and then forwarded to Gilman. A few are addressed to Miss Gilman.

Box 5, folders 54-64, 1892-1904

Helen Keller’s exams and school work

Includes essays written by Helen Keller, her Harvard entrance exam essays, outlines, and exams related to her time as a student at Radcliffe College.

Box 6, folders 1-13, undated, 1896-1900

Clippings, publication, photographs

An assortment of clippings and publications related to Helen Keller.

Box 7, folders 1-14, undated, 1896-1898

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Helen Keller as a young girl, sitting and reading. She is in a high-back cushioned chair, and has one hand resting on a table with the index finger extended. Her feet are propped up on a small ottoman. A vase and framed photograph are on the table. She is wearing a white lace dress.
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