Ruth Johnson Colvin American activist Date of Birth: 16.12.1917 Country: USA

Biography of Ruth Johnson Colvin

Ruth Johnson Colvin, an American activist, was born on December 16, 1917, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the eldest of five children of Lillian and Harry Johnson, American-Swedish descent and owners of a Chicago construction conglomerate.

Colvin attended Thornton Junior College in Harvey, Illinois, Moser Business College in Chicago, and Northwestern University, where she met her future husband, Robert Colvin, who was studying business management. They married in 1940 and initially settled in Seattle, Washington, before moving to Syracuse, New York, where Robert had a successful career in sales and consulting in the chemical industry. The couple had two children, and in 1959, Colvin earned a Bachelor's degree from Syracuse University.

Colvin became aware of the issue of illiteracy in the early 1960s when she read census reports stating that over 11,000 people in her city were functionally illiterate. As an avid reader, she began collaborating with university specialists who developed materials and methods to train volunteer teachers. Colvin herself created two manuals, 'Tutor' and 'I Speak English,' which remain authoritative sources for training volunteer teachers in adult literacy and English as a second language.

The program initially started with volunteer women from the Colvin's church. In 1962, the national nonprofit organization 'Literacy Volunteers, Inc.' was founded in Syracuse, which later changed its name to 'Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc.' in 1967. Colvin also developed an instructional program called 'English as a Second Language' in 1974 and played a crucial role in establishing The National Coalition for Literacy.

Currently, the organization has 330 programs in 42 states, engaging over 100,000 volunteers and students. It collaborates with correctional facilities, adult education programs, libraries, universities, public works programs, and industrial enterprises.

From 1991 to 2001, Colvin assisted the administration in Swaziland in developing the country's only literacy program. She also conducted research and provided initial training to members of Rotary Clubs in Zambia to establish the 'Readers are Leaders in Zambia' fund.

In 2002, 'ProLiteracy Worldwide' was established through the merger of 'Laubach Literacy International' and 'Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc.' It continues the mission of promoting literacy on a global scale. Colvin holds a lifelong position on the board of directors of 'ProLiteracy Worldwide' and remains actively involved in the organization, teaching both in the United States and abroad. She has launched literacy programs in Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Guatemala, Pakistan, Somalia, and China.

Colvin's work in literacy promotion spans almost half a century, during which she has published nine books. She has received approximately 30 awards and honorary titles for her achievements and has visited over 60 countries on behalf of her organization. In 1987, she was awarded the 'President's Volunteer Service Award' by President Ronald Reagan, the highest honor for American volunteers. In 1993, she was inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame.