The National Federation of the Blind is the largest organization of the blind in America. Interested sighted persons also join. Founded in 1940, the Federation has grown to include more than ten percent of the nation's blind (over 50,00 members). The Federation is organized in every state and has local chapters in almost every community of any size in the nation. where there is no local chapter, there are members at large. Each year the National Convention of the Federation is attended by approximately 2,500 blind persons the largest gathering of blind people in the history of the world and growing each year.