President Obama Issues White Cane Safety Day Proclamation Highlighting Braille Literacy

10/15/2009 4:02:00 PM

Today is White Cane Safety day, the annual celebration begun in 1964 to recognize the independence of blind Americans as represented by the white cane.  As required by the joint Congressional resolution establishing White Cane Safety Day that was passed as a result of advocacy by the National Federation of the Blind, President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation in recognition of this important celebration. This year, because of our efforts to promote Braille literacy, President Obama’s proclamation highlights the importance of Braille to blind Americans. The proclamation reads in part:

As we encourage the development of new assistive technologies, we must also improve access to existing tools.  The Braille code has opened a doorway to literacy for countless individuals, but far too many blind children in our country are not learning to read it.  By improving Braille literacy, we will secure a brighter future for these young Americans.

You can read the entire proclamation here.  Happy White Cane Safety Day!