Francis Joseph Campbell
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Joseph Campbell (October 9, 1832 – June 30, 1914) was an American
anti-slavery campaigner, teacher and also the co-founder of the Royal National College for the Blind in the United Kingdom
.
He was born near Winchester
, Tennessee
and lost his sight at the age of five following an accident. A talented musician, he taught music and at the age of 16 was appointed music master at the Tennessee School for the Blind and later went on to become musical director at the Wisconsin School for the Blind. He also taught at the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Watertown
, Massachusetts
.
It was while he was teaching at Wisconsin that his anti-slavery views became publicly known and at one point he was given twenty four hours to renounce them or face being hanged
. He refused but was spared death because of public sympathy for his blindness.
He would later become a frequent traveller between the United States and the United Kingdom and Europe, and in 1871 helped Thomas Armitage
to establish The Royal Normal College and Academy for the Blind near Crystal Palace
in London
. It was during a visit to London after studying in Berlin that he called on Dr. Armitage with a letter of introduction and was invited to dinner. Over dinner, Campbell told his host about his plans to establish a training college for the blind in the United States, but Armitage urged him to make London its home. The college was founded with two students, and Campbell was its first principal. The college continues to the present day, and is now known as the Royal National College for the Blind.
Campbell was also the first blind person to climb Mont Blanc
. In his later years he became a naturalised Briton
and in 1909 was knighted as a Knight Bachelor
by King Edward VII. He retired as principal of RNC in 1912 and was succeeded by his son, Guy Marshall Campbell.
for any person who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of library services for the blind. It consists of a citation and a medal.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
anti-slavery campaigner, teacher and also the co-founder of the Royal National College for the Blind in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
He was born near Winchester
Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and lost his sight at the age of five following an accident. A talented musician, he taught music and at the age of 16 was appointed music master at the Tennessee School for the Blind and later went on to become musical director at the Wisconsin School for the Blind. He also taught at the Perkins Institute for the Blind in Watertown
Watertown, Massachusetts
The Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
It was while he was teaching at Wisconsin that his anti-slavery views became publicly known and at one point he was given twenty four hours to renounce them or face being hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
. He refused but was spared death because of public sympathy for his blindness.
He would later become a frequent traveller between the United States and the United Kingdom and Europe, and in 1871 helped Thomas Armitage
Thomas Armitage
Thomas Rhodes Armitage was a British physician, and founder of the Royal National Institute of Blind People.He was born on 2 April 1824 at Tilgate in Sussex into a family of wealthy Yorkshire industrialists, the son of James Armitage and Anne Elizabeth Armitage née Rhodes , of Farnley Hall, just...
to establish The Royal Normal College and Academy for the Blind near Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, London
Crystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It was during a visit to London after studying in Berlin that he called on Dr. Armitage with a letter of introduction and was invited to dinner. Over dinner, Campbell told his host about his plans to establish a training college for the blind in the United States, but Armitage urged him to make London its home. The college was founded with two students, and Campbell was its first principal. The college continues to the present day, and is now known as the Royal National College for the Blind.
Campbell was also the first blind person to climb Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
. In his later years he became a naturalised Briton
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
and in 1909 was knighted as a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
by King Edward VII. He retired as principal of RNC in 1912 and was succeeded by his son, Guy Marshall Campbell.
Legacy
The Francis Joseph Campbell Award is an annual award given by the American Library AssociationAmerican Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
for any person who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of library services for the blind. It consists of a citation and a medal.