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White Cane Awareness Day

Each year on October 15, The Sight Center commemorates White Cane Awareness Day. This day marks the anniversary of the passage of the White Cane Law.

History

On October 6, 1964, Congress passed a joint resolution to authorize President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day. In his proclamation, President Johnson said,

A white cane in our society has become one of the symbols of a blind person’s ability to come and go on his own. Its use has promoted courtesy and special consideration for the blind on our streets and highways. To make our people more fully aware of the meaning of the white cane, and of the need for motorists to exercise special care for the blind persons who carry it, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved October 6, 1964, has authorized the President to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day.

Today

Today, October 15 is more commonly referred to as White Cane Awareness Day. As the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) explains:

To emphasize the shift in focus from safety to independence, and to continue to use the white cane as a symbol, [people] have chosen to refer to this day as White Cane Awareness Day.

On this October 15, join The Sight Center in celebration of those who travel independently with this iconic mobility tool.