Who Was Mabel Gardiner Hubbard Bell?

When I was thinking about what to name this website, my dad told me about an amazing woman named Mabel Gardiner Hubbard Bell. She was Deaf, just like many of us in the DHH community, and she lived over 100 years ago. But her story still inspires people today — including me!

Her Early Life

Mabel was born on November 25, 1857, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. When she was just 5 years old, she got very sick with scarlet fever. The illness caused her to lose almost all of her hearing. Back then, there weren't many resources for Deaf children like there are today. But Mabel's parents didn't give up on her.

Her father, Gardiner Hubbard, was a lawyer and businessman who became a huge advocate for Deaf education. He helped start schools that taught Deaf children to speak and read lips, which was one of the main approaches at that time. Mabel worked really hard to learn to speak clearly and read lips, and she became so good at it that many people didn't even realize she was Deaf when they first met her.

Meeting Alexander Graham Bell

Here's where the story gets really interesting! Mabel's father hired a young teacher named Alexander Graham Bell to help teach Deaf students. Alexander was fascinated by sound and speech, and he was working on inventions to help people communicate better.

Alexander and Mabel fell in love. Some people say that Alexander's passion for helping Deaf people communicate was partly inspired by Mabel. He wanted to find ways to help her and others like her. In 1876, Alexander invented the telephone — one of the most important inventions ever! And in 1877, he and Mabel got married.

More Than Just "Bell's Wife"

Mabel wasn't just famous because of who she married. She was an incredible person in her own right! She was smart, determined, and always looking for ways to help others. Here are some things she accomplished:

• Business partner: Mabel helped manage Alexander's finances and business decisions. She was a smart investor and helped grow their family's wealth.
• Community builder: She started clubs and organizations to bring women together and improve their communities.
• Aviation supporter: Mabel funded early experiments in flight and helped support inventors who were trying to build airplanes!
• Philanthropist: She gave money to causes she cared about, especially education and helping people who were Deaf or had other disabilities.

Living Her Best Life

Even though Mabel couldn't hear, she never let that stop her from doing amazing things. She traveled the world, raised four children, hosted famous scientists and inventors at her home, and was known for being warm, funny, and incredibly kind.

She once wrote: "I am not deaf. I am simply hard of hearing." This might seem like a small thing, but it shows how she thought about herself — not as someone who was missing something, but as someone who was complete just as she was.

Why "GoMabel"?

When my dad and I were brainstorming names for this website, we wanted something that felt encouraging and connected to the DHH community. "Go" is about moving forward, finding help, and taking action. "Mabel" honors this incredible woman who showed that being Deaf doesn't hold you back from doing great things.

So "GoMabel" is like saying: "Go do amazing things, just like Mabel did!"

I hope that when you use this website to find resources, you remember that you're part of a long history of amazing DHH people who have changed the world. Mabel did it over 100 years ago, and you can do it too!

Fun Facts About Mabel

• She learned to speak German, French, and Italian in addition to English
• She was one of the first women in America to organize a parent-teacher association (PTA)
• Her husband Alexander called her "the most wonderful woman in the world"
• She lived in beautiful homes in Washington D.C., Nova Scotia (Canada), and other places
• She was known for her beautiful handwriting and wrote thousands of letters