SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Ruth Johnson Colvin, who founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and received the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, has died. She was 107 years old.
Colvin died on Sunday in Syracuse, New York, according to ProLiteracy, the nonprofit organization created by the merger of Literacy Volunteers and Laubach Literacy in 2002. She served on the organization’s board of directors until her death.
“We owe not only ProLiteracy’s existence to Ruth and her founding of Literacy Volunteers of America, but we are guided by her innate understanding that literacy is a right,” an online tribute said. “We are humbled to have been able to learn from her for so long. Ruth willingly shared her wisdom with ProLiteracy staff, always encouraging us to continue our fight to improve adult literacy.”
