05/30/2026
📚 Deaf History Spotlight: Laurent Clerc 🤟
Did you know that one of the most influential figures in Deaf education was a Deaf man from France?
Laurent Clerc — often called “The Apostle of the Deaf in America” — co-founded the first permanent school for the Deaf in North America in 1817.
Alongside Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Clerc helped establish the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut.
Clerc was a brilliant Deaf teacher who brought French Sign Language (LSF) to the United States, which blended with local signs and eventually evolved into American Sign Language (ASL) as we know it today.
His legacy continues to live on in every ASL class, Deaf school, and Deaf space across the country.
✨ A Deaf educator.
✨ A pioneer.
✨ A foundational figure in the history of ASL.
Let’s honor Laurent Clerc — a leader who shaped the future of Deaf education and empowered generations of Deaf students.