Tribute From New Zealand
A Tribute From New Zealand
by Jonathan Mosen
October 13, 1998
Most of us probably find ourselves thinking once
in a while about our legacy. It would be nice to conclude our life's work knowing that in
some way the world is a better place for our having lived in it. But few of us will ever
have the kind of legacy that is Dr. Kenneth Jernigan's. I want to try and explain why I
wept openly when I heard that Dr. Jernigan had died, why I in New Zealand, many thousands
Norbert Mueller
Norbert Mueller
Norbert Mueller
October 13, 1998
I was deeply saddened by the news Curtis sent to
us. I have known Dr. Jernigan personally and last met him at this year's Convention in
Dallas. Though his bad cough worried me a great deal, I was hoping he might have a few
more years left. I sent a fax to the NFB today in which I expressed my feelings of sadness
and how much Dr. Jernigan has meant to me personally. Instead of copying that fax here [on
Sir John Wilson
Sir John Wilson
October 14, 1998
Brighton, England
Mrs. Kenneth Jernigan
Baltimore, Maryland
Dear Mrs. Jernigan (or may I say Mary Ellen),
May I join with your friends and admirers
throughout the world in sympathy at this time.
For so many years Kenneth has been at the active
center of all that is best and enduring in the world of the blind. His brilliant advocacy,
his philosophy, and his academic rigor have changed that world and global attitudes to
blindness.
Thailand Speaks
Pecharat Techavachara
Thailand Speaks
by Pecharat Techavachara
October 18, 1998
We have received the news of Dr. Jernigan passing
away with great sorrow. Certainly the blind all around the world have lost a great man who
has done so much to change the meaning of blindness. Although Dr. Jernigan has already
passed away, his works and his words, which encourage us, will remain in our hearts and
memories always.
Pecharat Techavachara, President
Foundation for the Employment Promotion of the
Enrique Elissalde
Enrique Elissalde
Enrique Elissalde
From the Editor: Enrique Elissalde is
president of the Latin American region of the World Blind Union.
October 13, 1998
Uruguay
Dear Mr. Maurer,
I have just learnt the sad news about Dr.
Jernigan, and with no delay I want to express my deepest sorrow for the great loss every
one of us has suffered. I have had the pleasure and honor of sharing with him many years
of hard work in the international arena, and even when our points of view might have
Hans Cohn
Hans Cohn
Hans Cohn
I first met Kenneth Jernigan in 1984 on his
becoming an International Officer [of the World Blind Union], but his reputation had gone
before him. Through my reading I knew about his struggles in the early years of the
NFB-USA—against airlines denying disabled people equal rights with other patrons,
against blind welfare organizations denying the blind a fair share in the making of
decisions affecting their lives, in debates over the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Kua Cheng Hock
Kua Cheng Hock
Kua Cheng Hock
From the Editor: Mr. Kua is President of
the Independent Society for the Blind of Singapore and President of the Asia Blind Union.
He spoke briefly at the memorial service; this is what he said:
Mrs. Jernigan, President Maurer, comrades in the
march:
indeed it is my great honor and pleasure to be
given this opportunity to express our fond memories of Dr. Jernigan, to express to you the
influence he has had in the work of the self-help movement among the blind in Asia. I
Colin Low
Colin Low speaks at the memorial service.
Colin Low
From the Editor: Colin Low is Vice
Chairman of the Executive Council of the Royal National Institute for the Blind and a
leader of the National Federation of the Blind of the United Kingdom. Here are his remarks
from the memorial service:
By what right does somebody come from three
thousand miles away to speak of someone whom you have accurately described as such a
multi-dimensional figure? If I could take a minute to begin with a brief personal
Raymond Kurzweil, Ph.D.
Dr. Kurzweil (left) and Dr. Jernigan unveil the Kurzweil Reading
Machine at the Iowa Commission for the Blind in January, 1997
Raymond Kurzweil, Ph.D.
From the Editor: Dr. Kurzweil is a true
friend of blind people. He has frequently used his impressive intelligence to further the
dreams and aspirations of people who cannot read regular print. In the course of an active
and creative career he became good friends with Dr. Jernigan. This is what he said at the
memorial service:
David Pillischer
David Pillischer
From the Editor: David Pillischer is the
President of Sighted Electronics, a vendor marketing adaptive technology for the blind. He
and Dr. Jernigan came to be close friends, and late last year he wrote Dr. Jernigan the
following letter:
Northvale, New Jersey
November 30, 1997
Dear Dr. Jernigan:
When I opened your letter and read it, my eyes
became tearful. I have read the letter you sent to me on November 25 a number of times