Author Information for
Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius

C. Michael Mellor embarked on a biography of Louis Braille when he first saw the letters of Louis Braille on display at l'Institut National de Jeunes Aveugles, the school in Paris where Louis was a student, teacher, and creator of an embossed code that carries his name.

As editor of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind for eighteen years, Mike has long held a fascination for braille. His published paper, "Making a Point: The Crusade for a Universal Embossed Code in the United States," was delivered at the International Conference on "The Blind in History and the History of the Blind," in Paris, France, where he came upon Louis's extant letters and decided to translate them for publication.

Mellor holds an MA in the History of Science from the University of Leeds in England, where he was born. During National Service with the Royal Air Force, he maintained electronic equipment on jet fighters. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he enjoys being an urban farmer.

Speaking Engagements

Mike Mellor is available for speaking engagements, interviews, and book signings. Mike is an excellent speaker for drawing attendees to a special event or for making a keynote address - few people in the world know more about the life and times of Louis Braille.

For further information, contact Diane Croft
at dcroft@nbp.org, or call 617.266.6160 ext. 421.

Speaking Schedule

• December 3, 2009
  Baruch College/CUNY
  New York, NY
  Appearing with the
  Louis Braille Exhibit
• November 30, 2009
  Japan Braille Library
  Tokyo, Japan
• November 23, 2009
  National Museum of Ethnology
  Osaka, Japan
  
  
  Mike Mellor at dinner with his hosts in Japan
• October 11-25, 2009
  South Africa
• September 9, 2009
  California Braille and Talking Book Library
  Sacramento, CA
  Appearing with the
  Louis Braille Traveling Exhibit.
• July 13, 2009
  Hadley School for the Blind
  Winnetka, IL
  Appearing with the
  Louis Braille Traveling Exhibit.
• May, 2009
  Edinboro University
  Edinboro, PA
  Appearing with the
  Louis Braille Traveling Exhibit.
• April 25, 2009
  Friends of Wolfner Library
  Jefferson City, MO
• March 21, 2009
  DC Public Library
  Washington, DC
• March 16, 2009
  Denver Public Library
  Denver, CO
  Appearing with the
  Louis Braille Traveling Exhibit.
• March 14, 2009
  San Francisco Public Library
  Appearing with the
  Louis Braille Traveling Exhibit.
• February 10, 2009
  New York Institute for Special Education
  Bronx, NY
• January 4, 2009
  200th Anniversary of Louis Braille's Birth
  Paris, France
• July 2008
  AER International
  Chicago, Illinois, USA
• April 23-25, 2008
  Penn-Del AER
  Grantville, PA
• April 5th, 2008
  Louis Braille School
  Seattle, WA
• November 29th - Dec. 2nd, 2007
  Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference
  St. Petersburg, FL
• April 16, 2007
  Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida
  Jacksonville, Florida, USA
• March 1-4, 2007
  CTEVH Conference
  Santa Clara, CA
• January 18, 2007
  Center for the Visually Impaired
  Daytona Beach, FL
• July 17, 2006
  Jordan Rich/WBZ
  Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• July 12, 2006
  American Council of the Blind
  Jacksonville, Florida, USA
• April 28, 2006
  National Braille Association
  Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
• April 19, 2006
  Swedish Library of Talking Books
  Stockholm, Sweden
• April 12, 2006
  Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles
  Paris, France
• March 9, 2006
  "The World" WGBH Radio
  Boston, Massachusetts, USA