James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is a well-known African American-actor who was born in Arkabutla, Tate County, Mississippi, the son of Robert Earl Jones, and raised in Dublin, Michigan, by his maternal grandparents. His childhood nickname was Todd (as per ). He moved to Michigan around the age of 5, when he developed a stutter so severe he refused to speak aloud. He remained functionally mute for 8 years until he reached high school. He credits a high school teacher who discovered he had a gift for writing poetry with helping him out of his silence. The teacher believed forced public speaking would help him gain confidence and insisted he recite a poem in class each day. "I was a stutterer. I couldn't talk. So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school."

Speaking Engagements

On Sept. 22, 2005 James Earl Jones spoke at the Pennsylvania State University in the school's Eisenhower Auditorium to a crowd of students, professors and other admirers. He lectured for a little over an hour on Shakespeare and his treatment of the Moors and Jews. He ended the night by engaging in a brief question and answer session.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~