Literacy advocates gathered at the 2025 Literacy Partners Evening of Readings and Gala Dinner on June 9 in New York City.

Oprah Winfrey, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bob Woodward, and other literary luminaries came together to celebrate the power of literacy.

Winfrey presented the award for Distinguished Leadership in Literacy to Alfred A. Knopf Vice President and Executive Editor Erroll McDonald.

“Erroll was the first person to call me and say, `You should write your own story. You should do an autobiography,’” Winfrey recalled. “And I said, `I should.’ And Errol and I will tell you, I'm still working on it, and we remain friends all those years.”

“He has consistently elevated voices that challenge, that inspire and expand our understanding of our world,” Winfrey continued. “His commitment to publishing stories that shift cultural narratives and break down stereotypes has opened doors for so many, particularly women, and brought vital, diverse voices to the forefront.”

Neil deGrasse Tyson Reflects on His Writing Career

Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes presented the Champion of Literacy award to Tyson.

“No one would've said, `He'll go far, watch him. He likes writing,’” Tyson said. “I've just never forgotten that. When I see other people who, [when] you test them and they have some score and then you look the other way because they're not scoring high enough for you … as an educator, that's an abomination.”

Bob Woodward Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Woodward received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the field.

In his acceptance speech, the journalist looked back on his 1974 book All The President's Men, about breaking the Watergate scandal with co-author Carl Bernstein.

Cynthia McFadden, who also hosted the event, was presented with the Lizzie Award, named after Literacy Partners founding member Liz Smith.

Literacy Partners' Mission

Literacy Partners focuses on nurturing literacy skills across generations.

“Adult literacy is a key to social mobility and opportunity,” Literacy Partners CEO Asaf Bar-Tura told PEOPLE. “We know that people with literacy skills are healthier, they live longer, they have more employment opportunities, they are more engaged in their communities.”

“On the other hand, we know that adult literacy is declining over the last decade in the United States, and 54% [of Americans] have literacy skills below sixth grade,” Bar-Tura continued. “So there's work to do and that's why we're doing it.”

To learn more about Literacy Partners, visit Macklemore's Seattle Home Robbed with His 3 Children Inside as Nanny Escapes to Call for Help: Cops

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