by Winifred Downing
It was the idea of blind people acting for themselves through organized effort that was the motivating force of John Taylor’s long life; and it was an idea which was important to both the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind.
For a brief period in 1961, in fact, he was the president of NFB, relinquishing that job because Kenneth Jernigan, director of the Iowa Commission for the Blind, insisted that no one should hold office in the NFB who at the same time was employed by an agency for the blind (John was deputy director under Jernigan). Taylor had little choice since he had a young family to support, but it is interesting to consider the number of years that Jernigan was NFB president while also being director of the commission.
Kenneth Jernigan and John Taylor had known each other since early childhood, when they attended the Tennessee School for the Blind. John was valedictorian of his class. He later received a B.S. from Tennessee Tech and his M.A. degree from George Peabody College for Teachers. He did not pursue courses toward a Ph.D. degree. (Neither did Kenneth Jernigan, whose “doctor” title resulted from honorary degrees conferred upon him.)
John was a teacher at the Tennessee School for the Blind and remained active in the NFB, being chief of the Washington office for a time. He continued with the organization after assuming his duties as deputy commissioner at the Iowa Commission for the Blind until the Iowa affiliate withdrew from the NFB. That chapter subsequently became the Iowa Council of the United Blind in the American Council of the Blind, where John held various positions as an officer and board member. He directed the Iowa Commission for the Blind after Kenneth Jernigan resigned until he retired in 1982.
The Iowa Radio Reading Service also benefitted from John’s energy and initiatives, as did the Lions Club in Des Moines where he served as president and then district governor.
In addition to his official duties, John’s own lifestyle served as a model for other blind people who knew him. He mowed his own lawn; cut the hedges; maintained careful supervision of his home and family; went for long, vigorous walks every morning; contributed five gallons of blood at the blood bank in Des Moines; and volunteered every Monday at the library serving blind patrons — where he rewound cassettes and cleaned tape machines. He was president of the Library Users of America, a special-interest affiliate of ACB, for the allowed number of terms and a board member until his death.
People who spent time with John will not forget the way he beat his cane about to ensure his safety and, probably unintentionally, induced fear and trembling in those close by and ensured a clear path of travel. One Iowan reportedly told him recently, “I will wrap the thing around your neck if you do that again.”
One can’t appreciate John without also acknowledging the invaluable help given by his wife Teri. She kept notes for him when his brailling equipment wasn’t handy, counted and recorded countless raffle tickets available only in print, and read, drove, and shopped for everything from crackers to technical equipment. John was pleased to be able to help her select and occupy a condominium that will be easier for her to handle than their long-time home. He is survived by two daughters, a son, three grandchildren, and his sister. One of those grandchildren, Emily, wrote the lovely essay “My Hero” which appeared in the October issue of this magazine.
The last paragraph reads: “My Papa has recently begun another journey, a walk where I can only take his hand for part of the way. Papa has been diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. The doctors say there is nothing they can do. This time, when he goes away, he won’t come back. It is no surprise to anyone that he has shown the same courage now as he has so many times before in his life. I can only look at him and think, ‘He is so strong and brave, he can go anywhere.’ Papa is, and will always be, my hero.”
He is a hero to the rest of us, too.