Charles-Michel de l'Epee

Charles-Michel de l'Épée was a French Catholic priest and philanthropist who devoted his life to the education and welfare of the deaf. He was born in Versailles, France, on November 24, 1712, to a wealthy and noble family. He studied at the Collège des Quatre Nations and the University of Paris, where he received a degree in theology. He was ordained as a priest in 1738 and became involved in charitable works for the poor. In 1755, he met two deaf sisters who communicated using a sign language. He was fascinated by their ability to express themselves and decided to dedicate himself to the instruction and salvation of the deaf. He founded a school for the deaf in Paris in 1760, which was open to all deaf people regardless of their social status or financial situation. He also developed a system of sign language that combined natural signs with a manual alphabet and grammatical signs. He taught his students how to read and write French, as well as religious and moral lessons. L'Épée was influenced by the Enlightenment philosophy of his time, which advocated for human rights and equality. He believed that deaf people were capable of reason and language, and that they should be able to receive the sacraments and avoid going to hell. He also defended their legal rights and dignity in court and society. He published several books and pamphlets on his method of teaching the deaf, which attracted international attention and admiration. He also trained other teachers who spread his ideas and techniques throughout Europe and America. L'Épée died in Paris on December 23, 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution. He was buried in the Church of Saint Roch in Paris, where his tomb is still visible today. Two years after his death, the National Assembly recognized him as a "Benefactor of Humanity" and declared that deaf people had rights according to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. His school was taken over by the French government and became the Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets à Paris, which still exists today as the Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris. L'Épée is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of deaf education and sign language. His system of sign language evolved into French Sign Language (FSL), which influenced other sign languages such as American Sign Language (ASL). His legacy is celebrated by deaf communities around the world, who honor him as "The Father of the Deaf" or "Le Père des Sourds".