CLE Speaker

James Humes

Ryals Professor Of Language and Leadership, James Humes is a former trial lawyer, legislator and bestselling author who has written speeches for five US Presidents. He has authored 28 books on rhetoric, and was awarded the OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for his historical works on Churchill and Shakespeare.

He helped found the Churchill Society of America, and is the leading authority on the legacy of trial lawyer Bourke Cockran, a rhetorical role model for both Churchill and FDR.

The Christian Science Monitor calls Jamie "one of America's most popular platform speakers."

He is renowned for his impersonations of Winston Churchill (on C-SPAN, etc.) - in particular, his speech, THE SIR WINSTON METHOD: Speaking The Language Of Leadership. For many years, Jamie taught the Wharton School's popular Rhetoric course.

The US Presidents Jamie has ghostwritten for applaud him as "a wizard of words," "an artist of the English language" and "the Quotemaster General."

A prominent governor has called Jamie "the Dean of American speechwriters." And former Presidential candidate Jack Kemp declares: "If I could speak like Jamie Humes, I would have been elected President."

The New York Times' William Safire claims that "No one can come up with word pictures or parables like Jamie Humes."

Jamie has recently focused on crafting simple and practical PowerTalk techniques, by which anyone can makeover a speech. And he has created No Dead White Men, on the persuasion of Susan Anthony, Benito Juarez and Sitting Bull.