First blind & deaf person to earn a Master's degree.
First blind & deaf American man to receive college degree, 2nd blind & deaf American (after Helen Keller) to do so.
Barbara Walters says he was her most memorable interview.
Sources
1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCCY-CLK : accessed 24 February 2023), Robert J Smithdas in household of Joseph W Smitdas, Pittsburgh (Districts 251-488), Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 363, sheet 22B, line 71, family 275, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1988; FHL microfilm 2,341,722.