Feature Writer John Christie – White Canes Bring Freedom to the Blind
White Cane Safety Day has always been a symbol of independence for blind and visually impaired people since its inception in 1964. The history of its creation is quite interesting.
On July 6, 1963, the National Federation of the Blind convened at their convention and called upon the governors of the fifty states to declare October 15 as White Cane Safety Day. On October 6, 1964, Congress signed into law a joint resolution (HR 753). This law authorizes the president of the United States to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day. The resolution states, “Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives […] that the President is hereby authorized to issue annually a proclamation designating October 15 as White Cane Safety Day and calling upon the people of the United States to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
Within hours after the passage of the bill, President Johnson recognized the white cane as a symbol of independence for blind people. In the first presidential white cane proclamation, President Johnson commended the blind for being independent and self-reliant. The proclamation said, “The white cane in our society has become one of the symbols of a blind person’s ability to come and go on his own. Its use has promoted courtesy and special consideration to the blind on our streets and highways. To make our people more fully aware of the meaning of the white cane and of the need for motorists to exercise special care for the blind persons who carry it, Congress, by a joint resolution approved as of October 6, 1964, has authorized the President to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day. Now, therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 15, 1964 as White Cane Safety Day.”
The first of the state laws to grant the blind to travel independently was passed in 1930. In 1966, the founder of The National Federation of the Blind, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, drafted the model of the white cane law. This is also known as the civil rights bill for the blind and disabled. In this bill, there is a provision that says that October 15 is white cane safety day. There is also a similar law on the books in every state in the nation.
The white cane bestows the gift of independence to many blind and visually impaired individuals throughout the world. To have a day devoted to such an important tool in our lives truly reveals the progress that we’ve made thus far.