James Morrison Heady

James Morrison Heady (1829–1915) was an American writer and poet who was both deaf and blind, and was known as the "Blind Poet of Kentucky." He wrote children's biographies, frontier stories, and poetry; his representative works include The Farmer Boy, and How He Became Commander-In-Chief, Burl, and The Red Moccasins: A Story. In 1864 he published his first book, The Farmer Boy, and How He Became Commander-In-Chief, under a pseudonym, and it was well received. Beyond writing, Heady devoted his life to advocating reading materials for the blind, invented devices such as a "talking glove" and a Braille typewriter, and helped promote the establishment of the American Printing House for the Blind. Public information about his life and work is limited, but the available material shows his contributions in both literature and public welfare.