The Unseen Chronicles: Understanding Ourselves Through Blind History

Led by Emeline Lakrout and Daniel Gutz—both blind travelers and storytellers—the project was made possible by a $10,000 travel grant from the Blind Travel Foundation. In October 2025, they visited historic landmarks, museums, and schools central to the history of blindness, including the home of Louis Braille, the first school for blind youth (INJA), and the Quinze-Vingts asylum, founded in the 13th century.

Through their YouTube video series, Emeline and Daniel connect past innovations to present-day inclusion. Interviews with historians and blind scholars—such as Dr. Leona Godin—explore Enlightenment-era philosophy, the development of tactile reading systems, and shifting societal perceptions of blindness.

Interwoven with personal reflections on legacy, including Emeline’s grandmother attending a blind school in 1950s France, the project brings together history, identity, and progress. The series offers an accessible way to explore often hard-to-find blind history through short, informative episodes. Visit The Unseen Chronicles YouTube playlist to watch the series.

To learn more about the sources Emeline and Daniel used to research each topic, explore the accompanying Sources Guide.

Updates

• 2/6/2026: The Unseen Chronicles – Episode 4: Denis Diderot: The Man Imprisoned for Thought
• 1/30/2026: The Unseen Chronicles – Episode 3: The Quinze-Vingts (Part 2)
• 1/23/2026: The Unseen Chronicles – Episode 2: The Quinze-Vingts (Part 1)
• 1/16/2026: The Unseen Chronicles – Episode 1: Introduction
• 8/11/2025: YouTube video about the 2025 grant winner’s projects.