The idea that a person who was deaf could achieve a notable or distinguished status was not common until the latter half of the 18th Century , when Abbé Charles-Michel De L'Épée founded the world's first Public School for deaf students in Paris . The Abbe de l'Epee was one of the first advocates for using Sign Language in deaf education, as a means to raise deaf people to literacy and to provide an avenue to an independent lifestyle. Prior to de l'Épée, only the deaf children of royal, aristocratic or wealthy families were afforded any type of education.
Épée originally favored using a fabricated sign system, similar to Signed Exact English, based on French grammar and sound. The local Deaf communities insisted on maintaining their own Paris sign language, and on his deathbed de l'Épée wrote his final work decrying all constructed systems and finally endorsing the use of the natural signed languages made by Deaf people.
The success of the Paris school spawned similar schools throughout Europe and the New World . Significant in American History , deaf Frenchman Laurent Clerc , both a student and teacher at the Paris school (1798-1816), and Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet , a hearing American, founded the first school for the deaf in Hartford, Connecticut in 1816 . Clerc, along with Paris school faculty members Jean Massieu and Ferdinand Berthier formed the core of a group of pioneering deaf intellectuals. They are joined by many people on this list who, like them, were born deaf, used a Sign Language as their mother Language , and were notable for their leadership and accomplishments.
- Melville Ballard , American teacher, first undergraduate to receive a degree from Gallaudet College.
- Ferdinand Berthier , French intellectual, first deaf person to receive the French Legion of Honor. Founder of world's first deaf organization.
- Eliza Boardman American, member of the first class of students in America's first school for the deaf; wife of Laurent Clerc.
- Edmund Booth , American publisher, teacher and adventurer.
- Julia Brace , (1807-1884), early American Deafblind student at the Hartford Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb.
- John Brewster Jr. , American, leading artist of the Federalist Period in America.
- Laura Bridgman , (1829-1889), American, first deafblind student of Dr. Samuel Howe at the Perkins School for the Blind.
- Thomas Lewis Brown , American, first deaf person to be elected to a state legislature. Co-founder of first national organization of the deaf.
- Laurent Clerc , (1785-1869), French-American, co-founder of first school for the deaf in America. First deaf teacher of the deaf in America.
- Alice Cogswell , American student who inspired the founding of the first school for the deaf in the United States.
- Pierre Desloges , (1742-??), French deaf writer and bookbinder. First known deaf person to publish a book.
- Theophilus D'Estrella , American artist and first student at San Francisco's Institution for the Deaf.
- Sophia Fowler , American, wife of Gallaudet University founder Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet.
- Edwin A. Hodgson , American, former president of the National Association of the Deaf.
- William Elsworth "Dummy" Hoy , (1862-1961), American baseball player.
- Mabel Hubbard , American, daughter of Gardiner Green Hubbard and wife of Alexander Graham Bell
- Regina Olsen Hughes , American, distinguished employee at the Smithsonian Institution.
- Helen Keller , American deafblind writer and lecturer.
- Juliette Gordon Low , founder of the Girl Scouts of America
- Jean Massieu , French deaf intellectual and internationally renowned public figure. World's first deaf teacher of the deaf.
- Granville Redmond , American painter.
- Laura Redden Searing , American journalist and poet.
- Howard E. "Rocky" Stone , American, founder of ''Self Help for Hard of Hearing People''.
- Douglas Tilden , American sculptor.
- Job Turner , American educator, first president of the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind.
- Lon Chaney, Sr. , American actor raised by deaf parents, his upbringing allowed him to better communicate in Silent Film
- Louise Fletcher , American, Academy Award, Best Actress for ''One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest''.
- Richard Griffiths , American actor.
- Stefan LeFors , American Football Quarterback who is the only hearing member of a deaf family.
- Jim Snavley , Poet, Pioneer, east african warlord
- Jack Ashley , British member of the House of Lords, campaigner for the rights of deaf people
- Michelle Banks , African-American actress
- Linda Bove , American actress best known for her role as Linda the Librarian on '' Sesame Street '', founding member of the National Theater of the Deaf.
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- Arthur Dimmock , British author and arts historian, contributor to Deaf Arts UK magazine.
- Phyllis Frelich , American actress
- Tyrone Giordano , American, actor in films such as A Lot Like Love and The Family Stone . Also on Broadway in Big River.
- C.J. Jones , African-American actor and comedian
- Braam Jordaan , South African film maker.
- I. King Jordan , first Deaf President of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
- Troy Kotsur , American actor
- Emmanuelle Laborit , French actress.
- Paddy N. Ladd , British professor, author and Deaf rights campaigner, helped establish long-running British Deaf television programme '' See Hear '' and popularize the concept of Deafhood .
- Gary Malkowski , Canadian politician
- Marlee Matlin , American , Best-Actress award for ''Children of A Lesser God''.
- Emma Nicholson , British member of the House of Lords.
- Sarah Marie Pack , American Deaf writer and social worker. Writer of the first Comprehensive New York City Access Resource Guide for Deaf Persons.
- Terrence Parkins , South African Deaf swimmer, won silver in the 200m BrS in the 2000 Olympics at Sydney.
- Curtis Pride , African-American who became the first deaf baseball player to play a full major-league season in the modern era. He and his wife, Lisa, are actively involved in the ''Together with Pride'' foundation, which offers support to deaf children and their families.
- Judith Scott , American Outsider Art ist
- Elizabeth Quinn , British actress
- Terrylene , American actress
- Clayton Valli , much-loved American Deaf Poet from Rochester, New York.
- Heather Whitestone McCallum , became the first Deaf woman to win the title of Miss America.
- Guillaume Amontons , French inventor and physicist.
- Robert Grant Aitken (1864–1951) American Astronomer who systematically studied Double Stars
- Cliff Bastin , British Soccer player
- Kathy Buckley , American comedienne
- Luis Buñuel , Spanish surrealist filmmaker and poet.
- Vint Cerf , American "father of the internet"
- Winston Churchill , British Prime Minister.
- Bill Clinton , former U.S. president
- John Warcup Cornforth , Nobel Prize winner
- Amy Ecklund , American actress
- Gertrude Ederle , American competitive swimmer, first woman to swim the English Channel.
- Thomas Edison , American inventor.
- Lou Ferrigno , American bodybuilder and actor who starred in the TV series ''The Incredible Hulk''.
- Walter Geikie , Scottish painter.
- Francisco Goya , Spanish painter
- Kevin Hall , American Professional Golfer
- Jennifer A. Jackson , Deaf Female Canadian Lawyer.
- Oliver Heaviside , British engineer, mathematician and physicist.
- John Howard , Australian Prime Minister.
- Steve Jobs , American entrepreneur, co-founder of Apple Computer.
- Ryan Ketchner , American baseball player
- Rush Limbaugh , American radio host and political commentator.
- Harold MacGrath , American author.
- George Martin , British music producer, produced the Beatles.
- Sir William McMahon Australian politician and former Prime Minister.
- Pierre De Ronsard , French poet.
- Joe Swail , Northern Itish snooker player.
- Eric Sykes , British comedy writer and actor.
- Sue Thomas , American author and motivational speaker who became the first deaf person to work for the Federal Bureau Of Investigation . The TV series ''Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye'', in which deaf actress Deanne Bray played the title role, was loosely based on Thomas' real-life experiences.
- Judith Wright , Australian poet.
- Ludwig Van Beethoven , German composer.
- Shawn Dale Barnett , American rock drummer and band leader.
- Foxy Brown , American rapper.
- Rudi Carrell , Dutch popular singer.
- Gabriel Fauré , French composer.
- Evelyn Glennie , Scottish virtuoso percussionist.
- Ted Nugent , American rock musician.
- Johnnie Ray , American popular singer.
- Bedřich Smetana , Czech composer.
- Pete Townshend , British Lead guitarist and singer with The Who .
- Brian Wilson , American singer and musician with The Beach Boys.
- Elliott Yamin , American Idol contestant
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