Proclamation 5519 --
Adult Literacy Awareness Month, 1986
By
the President of the
of
A
Proclamation
The
incidence of illiteracy and functional illiteracy among the Nation's adult
population negatively affects our economy, our social institutions, and our
security. It also limits the opportunities open to those who lack basic reading
and writing skills. Estimates of the number of illiterate or
functionally illiterate Americans range from twenty-three million to over fifty
million.
Adult
illiteracy has not received the attention it deserves. As Americans come to
understand the problem better they will come to grips with it. Illiteracy is
not limited to any region of the Nation, nor to any
social or ethnic group. We must take this problem seriously and provide the
means and the motivation to help those with literacy deficiencies to master the
ability to read and write.
Americans
traditionally have responded when they become aware of a problem, especially
when it comes to helping their fellow Americans. The problem of adult
illiteracy can be solved if enough Americans volunteer to serve as tutors,
provide in-kind services, and support other targeted efforts. There must be
maximum private initiative, public-private cooperation, and coordinated
community action. The Federal government has recognized the need to address
adult illiteracy, and the private sector is beginning to do its part through a
number of promising initiatives.
I
am pleased to learn that many organizations will be involved in addressing this
problem. Others in communications -- television producers, magazine publishers,
book publishers, broadcasters, and advertising agencies -- will be supporting
and encouraging efforts to raise awareness of the problem of adult illiteracy
in September 1986 and beyond.
In
order to call attention to these efforts, the Congress, by Senate Joint
Resolution 358, has designated the month of September 1986 as ``Adult Literacy
Awareness Month'' and authorized and requested the President to issue a
proclamation in observance of this event.
Now,
Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the
In
Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of August,
in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-six, and of the
Ronald
Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the
Federal Register,