The History of White Cane Day - October 15th
By Jeanne McClellan
Do you know what is celebrated on October 15th each year? It is a significant day for those of us who are blind or visually impaired. October 15th is White Cane Day, designated by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
So where did white canes come from anyway?
James Biggs, from Bristol England, is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the white cane, in 1921, after he sustained an accident which blinded him. He painted his walking stick white to be more visible among the motorists on the busy streets (although it’s hard to imagine busy streets in 1921)!
Much of the advancements in the use of white canes are due to the efforts of Lions Club International. In 1925, when the Lions Club was only 8 years old, Hellen Keller challenged them at their convention to focus on services for blind and visually impaired communities. She said, “I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness?”
In 1931, a Lions Club member witnessed a blind man navigating with a black cane that was barely visible against the dark road. This sparked the Lions Club movement to obtain white canes for the blind community. Similar efforts were also happening in Europe. In February of 1931, Guilly d’Herbemont launched a campaign for a national white stick movement for blind people in France. The campaign was reported in British newspapers leaning to a similar effort sponsored by Rotary Clubs throughout the United Kingdom. In May 1931, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) suggested in its radio broadcasts that blind individuals might be provided with a white stick which would become universally recognized as a symbol that someone was blind or visually impaired.
They give away free canes to this day. But not any old cane will do. Within the blind community, there are differences of opinion of what length the cane should be and how it should be used. For example, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) prefers a long cane as compared to the American Council for the Blind (ACB) that prefers a shorter cane which is roughly the height to the user's armpit. Orientation and Mobility (O&M) instructors also vary in which canes they will recommend based on a student's affiliation.
If you are blind or visually impaired, O&M instruction on proper cane techniques is critical. We live in a fast world with fast cars and dangerous navigation. Nearly 8,0000 pedestrians, including sighted and non-sighted, and bicyclists were killed in 2021 in the United States. Demonstrating safe and competent use of the cane could be a matter of life or death. White Cane laws vary from state to state, but one law is a constant: people walking with white canes always have the right of way.
White Cane Day was instituted as a symbol of independence and empowerment for the blind community. We honor those that have gone before us - especially the Lions Club International organization who advocated on our behalf.
References:
https://njcounciloftheblind.org
About the author:
Jeanne McClellan was born and raised in Royal Oak Michigan, got a master's degree in psychology, and worked for approximately 30 years as a counselor and social worker until she retired in 2009.