author
Morrison Heady
1829–1915
Best known as the "Blind Bard of Kentucky," this deafblind American writer turned personal hardship into a life of invention, advocacy, and remarkably varied literary work. He published poetry, fiction, songs, and children's books while also creating practical tools to help blind and deaf people communicate and read.
3 Audiobooks
The Farmer Boy, and How He Became Commander-In-Chief
by Morrison Heady
The Red Moccasins: A Story
by Morrison Heady
Burl
by Morrison Heady
About the author
Born in Spencer County, Kentucky, in 1829, James Morrison Heady lost much of his sight in childhood and later became deaf as well. Even so, he built an active career as a writer and was widely admired in his own time for his determination, imagination, and range.
Heady published multiple books, including poetry, novels, songs, and writing for children, and newspapers often called him the "Blind Bard of Kentucky." He was also an inventor with a practical streak, known for devices that supported communication and daily life, including work connected to reading for blind people.
Part of what makes Heady memorable is how fully he refused to be limited by disability. His life joined literature, mechanics, and advocacy in a way that still feels striking today, and his story offers a vivid glimpse of nineteenth-century American creativity shaped by persistence and ingenuity.