Avraham Rabby’s Braille Globe
United Kingdom mid-20th century
Avraham (“Rami”) Rabby was a disability rights advocate and a Foreign Service Officer who served from 1990 to 2017. He was completely blind, having lost his sight at age eight due to detached retinas. Rabby fought the Department of State for several years over his ability to join the U.S. Foreign Service. He finally succeeded in 1990, but the road to that victory was difficult. Along the way, he used his skills as a disability rights advocate to make his case. This braille globe belonged to Rabby and dates to his days as a student in the U.K. In a 2007 interview with the New York Times, underscoring the core argument he made during his fight, he stated “A blind person sees the world differently from a sighted person. Our impressions are no less valid."
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MLA Format
Avraham Rabby's Braille Globe. mid-20th century. National Museum of American Diplomacy, https://diplomacy.state.gov/items/avraham-rabbys-braille-globe
Chicago Format
Avraham Rabby's Braille Globe, mid-20th century, National Museum of American Diplomacy, Washington, DC, https://diplomacy.state.gov/items/avraham-rabbys-braille-globe
APA Format
(mid-20th century). Avraham Rabby's Braille Globe [Object]. National Museum of American Diplomacy, Washington, D.C., United States. https://diplomacy.state.gov/items/avraham-rabbys-braille-globe
LESSON PLAN
Seeing the World Differently
This lesson plan explores Avraham Rabby’s advocacy for blind U.S. Foreign Service Officers, highlighting his efforts in promoting equal access for all, regardless of their disability.