Cora Wilson Stewart

by Willie Nelms

This is the first published biography of Cora Wilson Stewart, the most widely known authority on adult illiteracy in America during the first third of the twentieth century. Long before it became popular to decry the problems of adult illiteracy, Stewart was leading public crusades to solve this problem. She gained national and international fame while helping thousands of adults learn the basic skills of reading and writing. Stewart founded the Moonlight Schools in Rowan County, Kentucky, in 1911, and until 1920 she led a crusade to eradicate adult illiteracy in her home state. Stewart conducted dozens of illiteracy conferences throughout the United States, served on the powerful Executive Board of the National Education Association, and founded the National Illiteracy Crusade in 1926. She later served as five-time chairperson of the Illiteracy Section of the World Conference of Education Associations. Stewart's work still resonates today: her methods and accomplishments serve as an i