Remembering Ruth Colvin, Adult Literacy Pioneer

On August 18, 2024 Central New York – and the world – lost a leading literacy light – Ruth J. Colvin. In 1962, she founded Literacy Volunteers of Greater Syracuse after learning there were thousands of adults in our community who could not read. When she spoke of the early days of the organization, she enjoyed sharing how she used an old, broken refrigerator to store materials that she and her dedicated group of volunteers used to help adults learn to read. Just ten years later her local organization grew to become Literacy Volunteers of America with chapters across the country. Ruth was now spearheading not just an organization but an adult literacy movement! In 2002, Literacy Volunteers of America merged with Laubach Literacy International to become ProLiteracy, a global literacy organization headquartered in Syracuse. Ruth remained active with ProLiteracy until her passing at age 107.

Throughout the years, Ruth received numerous awards in acknowledgement of the millions of people whose lives were touched and forever changed through her literacy work. Those awards included the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, presented to her in 2006 by President George W. Bush. Yet it is her memories of the achievements of the learners she meant in her travels across the world and the many letters and cards from adult literacy students, tutors, and supporters that she valued most.

Ruth’s indomitable spirit and commitment to adult literacy forged a legacy that will continue to inspire literacy efforts here in Central New York and beyond. The Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County and its partners are grateful to Ruth for her encouragement, guidance, and championing of adult literacy as a human right that continue to motivate us to strive to create a thriving community where everyone reads and everyone succeeds.