Baltimore, Maryland (November 24, 2008): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation’s leading advocate for Braille literacy, announced today that Michael Hingson, World Trade Center survivor and internationally acclaimed public speaker, will serve as a National Ambassador for Braille literacy.  As an ambassador, Michael will help advance the NFB’s Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, a national initiative to promote the importance of reading and writing Braille for blind children and adults.  The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign kicked off in July of 2008 with the unveiling of the design of a commemorative coin to be minted in 2009 in recognition of the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille (1809–1852), the inventor of the reading and writing code for the blind that bears his name.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to have Michael Hingson as part of this historic initiative to bring Braille literacy to all of the blind children and adults in America who need it.  As a unique keynote and inspirational speaker, as well as a user of Braille, Michael will certainly be an enormous asset in spreading the importance of Braille literacy to the masses.  There can be no doubt that the ability to read and write Braille competently and efficiently is the key to education, employment, and success for the blind.  Despite the undisputed value of Braille, however, only about 10 percent of blind children in the United States are currently learning it.  Society would never accept a 10 percent literacy rate among sighted children; it should not accept such an outrageously low literacy rate among the blind.  The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, with the support of influential Americans like Michael Hingson, will reverse the downward trend in Braille literacy and ensure that equal opportunities in education and employment are available to all of the nation’s blind.”

Michael Hingson said: “It is an honor to serve as a National Ambassador for the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign.  Braille is the only viable means for both reading and writing by blind persons and the only true alternative to printed matter.  I would never have been able to learn to read and write, much less be successful in the work place, if I hadn't learned to use Braille.  As a public speaker and living proof of the power of Braille, I am dedicated to helping the National Federation of the Blind to inspire children and adults across the country to learn Braille.”

For more information about the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign and the Louis Braille commemorative coin, please visit www.braille.org.