List of deaf firsts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of deaf firsts noting the first time that a deaf person achieved a given historical feat. This list also includes some deafblind persons.
- Ferdinand Berthier, French deaf educator, intellectual and political organiser, first deaf person to receive the Legion of Honour (1849)[1]
- Helen Keller, American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer, first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree (1904)[2]
- Pierre Gorman, Australian librarian, academic and educator of children with disabilities, first deaf person to receive a PhD at Cambridge University (1960).[3]
- Geraldine Lawhorn, American musician, actress and instructor, first deafblind African-American person to earn a college degree (1983)[4]
- Irving King Jordan, American educator, first deaf president of Gallaudet University (1988)[5][6]
- Haben Girma, American lawyer and advocate, first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School (2013).[7]
Sports
- Ed Dundon, American baseball pitcher and first deaf player in MLB (1883-1884)[8]
- Lance Allred, American basketball forward and first legally-deaf NBA player (2008)[9][10]
Actors
- Marlee Matlin, American actress, first deaf winner of an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Children of a Lesser God (1986)
- Troy Kotsur, American actor, first deaf man to win an Academy Award for acting; he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in CODA (2022)[11]