Colvin, Ruth J.

Ruth Johnson Colvin (1917- ) is an American literacy advocate and author, and the founder of the non-profit organization Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA). Colvin founded LVA in Syracuse, New York in 1962 with the goal of training tutors in reading and English as a Second Language (ESL) to combat illiteracy; although the original focus was the local community, the organization expanded its work across the United States and then internationally. In 2002 the company merged with Laubach Literacy International (LLI). LLI was also founded in Syracuse, in 1955 by Frank C. Laubach, and its philosophy of "Each one teach one" shared LVA's focus on teaching new readers to teach others. The new organization, named ProLiteracy Worldwide, funds or supports literacy efforts of various kinds in all 50 states as well as countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. As of 2010 the company had 330 programs in 42 states with over 100,000 volunteers and students

Colvin has received dozens of awards for her work in combating illiteracy. In December of 2006, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.

From the guide to the Ruth Colvin Papers, circa 1980-2010, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)