Google Doodle honors Ferdinand Berthier, a supporter of hearing impaired people
The Google Doodle for today honors Ferdinand Berthier, a remarkable French educator and intellectual who was born hearing-impaired and dedicated his life to promoting hearing-impaired culture and the rights of people with hearing differences at a time when these people were frequently marginalized by society.
Berthier was born on this day in 1803 in Saone-et-Loire, France, according to the Google Doodle blog. As an eight-year-old with hearing loss attending the National Institute for the Deaf in Paris, his journey began. His parents initially had little hopes for him picking up job-related skills for the future. However, thanks to professors like Laurent Clerc, Berthier's enthusiasm for learning was rekindled. By the time he was 27 years old, he had eventually returned to the National Institute for the Hearing Impaired as one of its most senior teachers.
For hearing-impaired Frenchmen, Berthier organized the first silent supper in 1834. Later, ladies, journalists, and government officials attended this event. The Société Centrale des Sourds-muets, the first institutional organization to promote the concerns of the hearing impaired community, was founded as a result of his campaigning. This group significantly contributed to the advancement of adult education and cooperative efforts for those with hearing impairments.
Berthier has written volumes on the history of sign language and biographies of hearing-impaired rights activists in addition to his organizational work. He made a substantial contribution to the understanding of hearing impaired culture and the significance of sign language. His effect was felt all over the world, and in 1849 he was given France's highest accolade, the Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur, becoming him the first person with hearing loss to do so.
