Lila Acheson Wallace

Lila Acheson Wallace was a pioneering American publisher and a major philanthropist whose vision and business acumen were instrumental in building one of the world's most widely read magazines. Alongside her husband DeWitt Wallace, she co-founded Reader's Digest in 1922, shaping its editorial voice and guiding its monumental growth into a global publishing empire. Her profound commitment to philanthropy later in life transformed American cultural institutions, particularly in the realms of art, horticulture, and education, leaving a legacy that extended far beyond the printed page.

Early life and education

Lila Bell Acheson was born in Virden, Manitoba, and raised in the Presbyterian manse of her father, a minister, in Kansas City, Missouri, and later Tacoma, Washington. She demonstrated an early independence, earning a teaching certificate from the Tacoma High School and subsequently attending the University of Oregon and University of Washington. Her formal education culminated with a degree in home economics from Skidmore College in 1917, after which she engaged in social work, including a position with the Young Women's Christian Association in New York City during World War I. This period honed her organizational skills and exposed her to the broader social currents that would later influence her philanthropic outlook.

Career and Reader's Digest

In 1921, she married DeWitt Wallace, a former soldier with an idea for a compact magazine of condensed articles. Investing her personal savings of $5,000, Lila Acheson Wallace became an equal partner in launching Reader's Digest from a Greenwich Village basement apartment in 1922. While DeWitt focused on editorial content, Lila managed the business operations, advertising, and circulation, proving to be a shrewd and innovative executive. Her instincts were critical to the magazine's success, advocating for the move to Chappaqua, and later Pleasantville, New York, and insisting on the high-quality art reproductions that became a hallmark of the publication. Under their joint leadership, Reader's Digest grew into an international phenomenon with editions published worldwide, making the Wallaces among the wealthiest and most influential figures in American publishing.

Philanthropy and cultural contributions

Following the magazine's financial success, Lila Acheson Wallace dedicated herself to philanthropy on a grand scale, often focusing on projects that combined art, nature, and public access. Her most transformative gift was the lead donation to rebuild the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, which reopened in 1980. She was a principal benefactor of the New York Botanical Garden, funding the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and the Lila Acheson Wallace Garden. She also provided essential support to the Wallace Hall at Princeton University, the Lila Acheson Wallace Library at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Lila Acheson Wallace World Theater at Lincoln Center. Her philanthropy extended to wildlife conservation, notably through significant contributions to the New York Zoological Society.

Personal life and legacy

Lila Acheson Wallace married DeWitt Wallace in 1921; the couple had no children and formed a formidable personal and professional partnership until his death in 1981. They resided at High Winds, their estate in Mount Kisco, New York, which featured extensive gardens she designed. Known for her impeccable taste, privacy, and formidable will, she continued her philanthropic work actively after her husband's passing. Her legacy endures through the cultural institutions she fortified, the public gardens she created, and the Lila Acheson Wallace Fund, established through her will to continue support for the arts, horticulture, and education. The Reader's Digest Association, the company she helped build, remained a powerhouse in global media for decades.

Awards and honors

Lila Acheson Wallace received numerous accolades for her philanthropic leadership. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts posthumously in 1992. In 1972, she received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. She held honorary degrees from several institutions, including Skidmore College and New York University. Her contributions were recognized by major cultural institutions, with the Metropolitan Museum of Art naming its annual distinguished service award for donors in her honor. In 1991, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.

Category:American magazine publishers Category:American philanthropists Category:1889 births Category:1984 deaths