Nellie Zimmerman's Dance

Freedom! What does it mean to you? How do you celebrate it? For the 71 year old, totally deaf and totally blind Nellie Zimmerman it meant walking free and going to college after being imprisoned in the Massillon State Mental Hospital for more than 19 years. And, Nellie celebrated her freedom by dancing the night away at the Pickle Barrel in Canton, Ohio with a group of her new found college-age friends.

The story of Nellie's Zimmerman's release from the Massillon State Hospital, in April of 1976 made newspaper headlines across America. The media continued to follow her story as Nellie used her freedom to go to college. She used her freedom of speech to become a popular lecturer giving over 240 presentations throughout Northeast Ohio, sharing what it was like to be deaf and blind. In 1978 Nellie proudly voted for the first time. Finally she used her freedom to get her first paying job at the age of 73, working as a life skills instructor at a group home for deaf and deaf blind teenage boys. When the details of her story and accomplishments reached the Ohio House of Representatives in 1980, she was proclaimed an Outstanding Ohioan. But when Nellie Zimmerman moved to the Colony For The Deaf in Columbus, Ohio, later that year, she disappeared from public view.

I first became acquainted with Nellie Zimmerman's story in 1994, when I was asked to conduct her funeral. Since I am almost blind myself, I was immediately moved by Nellie's predicament and by her many accomplishments. Nellie Zimmerman was buried in a donated, unmarked grave. But I believe that every American should hear this story.

Together with my hearing impaired friend Rosezelle Boggs Qualls, I wrote down her story in the book, Walking Free: The Nellie Zimmerman Story, published in 2001. It is now in its third printing. A free lance writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer has written a screen play based on the book. All we need now is a producer, and Nellie Zimmerman will become a household word.

Why? Because if you have good eyes, good ears, and good health, you have the freedom to go wherever you want, to get an education, to work, to speak out, and to vote. Nellie Zimmerman was denied those things, inspite of the fact that she was an American citizen. When she won her freedom, she cherished it: so should you!





Dr. Greene is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and a resident of Richmond, IN. He is also the author of Feeling Better: The Wisdom of the Doc, You Can Feel Better: How to cope with chronic pain and physical disabilities, and co-author of Walking Free: the Nellie Zimmerman Story.


For further information about his books, please visit www.densmorereid.com

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