Breaking News about Louis Braille and Charles Barbier

Of all the individuals involved in the history of braille, Charles Barbier is probably the most mysterious and the most misunderstood.

We may never know what inspired this former teacher, surveyor, and artillery officer to develop a writing method for the blind, a type of sign language for the deaf, a simplified alphabet for young children, and complicated cryptography for diplomats.

What we do know, however, is that his invention of coded raised-point writing for the blind, along with the necessary tools for creating it and his donation of hundreds of sets of those tools to the school for the blind in Paris, made it possible for Louis Braille to do what he did. Without Barbier, there would be no braille.

Braille built on an invention by Charles Barbier (1767-1841). Image of man wearing a black jacket.

Myths about Barbier’s achievements and motivations abound.

He is said to have created raised-point writing to allow for night-time communications in the military. No, he didn’t. Barbier’s publications show that he created it specifically for blind people.

Biographies of Braille usually feature a hostile encounter between a uniformed Barbier and a schoolboy Braille. Never happened…and Barbier had left the army long before Braille was born. The two met when Braille was an adult, Barbier was a civilian, and their relationship was friendly.

This is NOT Charles Barbier. This is Pierre-François-Hercule, count de Serre. Man with necklace.

Barbier’s method is described as purely phonetic; the term “sonography” is often used. In fact, Barbier’s method allowed for conventional spelling and the term “sonography” was invented much later. It is not a word Barbier himself ever used.

Even a widely circulated image said to be of Charles Barbier actually portrays Pierre-François-Hercule, count de Serre. Charles Barbier’s full name was Nicolas-Marie-Charles Barbier de la Serre, but he was not a count; the engraving shows a French lawyer and politician who happened to have a similar last name.

These and other myth-busting facts have recently come to light for a couple of reasons. First, descendants of the Barbier family donated his papers to the museum at the Valentin Haüy Association in Paris in 2001, where they are available to researchers. Second, several of Barbier’s publications, once very hard to find in libraries, are now on Google Books for all to see.

Using these and other sources of information, Philippa Campsie, a researcher based in Toronto, wrote an article titled “Charles Barbier: A hidden story,” published by the Disability Studies Quarterly in 2021. Since then, she has continued her research, learning more about the Paris school for the blind in the early 19thcentury, and more about Barbier’s life and work before and after his invention was adopted by the school in 1821. A book is in the works.

Gradually, those interested in the history of braille are acknowledging Barbier’s contribution. The Barbier family has placed a plaque on his grave that recognizes his work. Changes have been made to Wikipedia, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and the websites of some of the major institutions for the blind.

Barbier also created simple tools for writing with raised dots. Images of a slate, & a guide.

How can you help?

If you are associated with a non-profit or other group that includes the history of braille on its website or in published material, make sure the facts are correct and if not, ask for changes.

If you teach and use one of the many (now outdated) children’s books about Louis Braille, let your students know that the story in them is not wholly accurate. Maybe create a book of your own about the true story.

In 1815, Barbier published a dozen different types of simplified writing. Image of a writing code.

Why does it matter?

Responsible historians stick to the evidence and give credit where credit is due. The facts show that Charles Barbier invented the idea of and tools for raised-point writing that Louis Braille used to create his own system.

If we distort the facts about Barbier, we are also distorting the facts about Louis Braille. He did not take a military invention and adapt it; he did not have a hostile attitude towards the inventor of raised-point writing; and he never took full credit for his invention – he always acknowledged Barbier’s pioneering accomplishments.