Sojourner Truth “I feel,” said Sojourner Truth, “that if I have to answer for the deeds done in my body just as much as a man, I have a right to have just as much as a man.” On May 9, 1867, Sojourner Truth, a former slave and famous abolitionist speaker, pressed for women’s economic rights in a metaphor-filled speech. She was speaking at the First Annual Meeting of the American Equal Rights Association, held at the Church of the Puritans in New York City. She spoke in metaphors to accentuate women's rights. As she spoke, such metaphors as weeding the garden, riding horses, and ..read more

Mike Castle The Republican Party of old died on July 10, 2009, when Republican Congressional Representative Mike Castle made a routine campaign stop to speak to a group of elderly voters in Delaware. Castle was running for the United States Senate in a special election. A perfectly standard, old-school Republican, Castle came to discuss his usual platitudes. He then offered to answer questions. A woman in red raised her hand to ask Castle about Barack Obama’s birth certificate. She shouted: “I want to know. I have a birth certificate here from the United States of America saying ..read more

Joe Biden, 2024 State of the Union A good introduction sets a speech’s tone. In his March 7, 2024 State of the Union Address to Congress, President Joe Biden warned the members—and the nation—that our way of life was under assault: “… freedom and democracy are under attack at both at home and overseas at the very same time.” Biden painted a dark, dark picture: forces, domestic and foreign alike, threaten our way of life. Yes, a good introduction sets a speech’s tone. Beginning this speech, Biden laid out two historical analogies of times that the United States was attacked from withou ..read more

James Lankford A gentle heckle is worth a thousand shouts! Senator James Lankford whispered a heckle and shook up the United States’ border controversy. Biden Lashed Out at Republicans Making one of the first points in his March 7, 2024 State of the Union speech, President Joe Biden lashed out at the Republicans in Congress for defeating what appeared to be an extremely conservative border control bill. The bill was drafted by Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Republican James Lankford, and Democrat Chris Murphy. Murphy agreed to a conservative border bill as a compromise to incr ..read more

Barbara Jordan with the House Judiciary Committee Texas Congressional Representative Barbara Jordan mused that, when the Constitution of the United States was adopted, she (a Black woman), was not included in “we the people.” Jordan, one of the first African American women in Congress, began her speech by establishing her identity as a citizen of the United States. Jordan spoke on July 25, 1974, during the impeachment hearings of the House Judiciary Committee. The committee was reviewing evidence that President Richard Nixon had, among other offenses, committed obstruction of justice ..read more

Joe Biden, White House Photo “I’m more optimistic about this nation’s future than I’ve ever been.” So said United States President Joe Biden in a brief speech to the National Governor’s Association Winter Meeting, delivered in the White House East Room on February 23, 2024. He offered a message of pride and optimism. He adapted to his audience to seek unity, encourage joint effort, overcome disagreements, and solve problems. Biden Reached Out to His Audience Biden’s audience was an assemblage of state governors. Many of them were Republicans, while Biden is a Democrat. Unlike Congr ..read more

“Some who’ve controlled institutions of culture and commentary have at times used their power to not only distort truth but to punish the truth-seekers…. And on occasion, I have been one of its targets.” So said actor and singer Harry Belafonte in a November 8, 2014 speech in Hollywood, California while accepting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. He spoke at the sixth Governors Awards ceremony. Belafonte spoke of art’s ongoing struggle, for and against racism. He reminded us that art has power, and that art can direct its power either to good or ill. He reminded us of the resolution needed ..read more

“Public health constantly struggles to hold infectious diseases at bay, to change lifestyle behaviors, and to find enough money to do these and many other jobs.” As Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization spoke at the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 23, 2016, she demonstrated how important organization is in public speaking. Dr. Chan, a physician of joint Chinese and Canadian nationality, illustrated just how crucial the organizational structure of a speech is to informing and persuading people. Her speech is still timely today, as public ..read more

Kamala Harris Speeches reflect our values. During her February 9, 2024 speech in Washington DC, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to a group of community leaders about violence intervention. She sharply distinguished between leadership that destroys and leadership that uplifts. She asked us to refocus our values. Her values, her vision, led her to speak for a broader, more positive approach to policy. Harris said that reducing community violence meant not only “to reduce harm,” but also: “…investing in the potential and the greatness.” Looking forward to the good instead of looking b ..read more

Recently, media personality and former licensed psychologist Dr. Phil (Phillip Calvin McGraw) propounded a conspiracy theory about Chinese immigrants: “If they’re working in farming, if they’re working in industry, I promise you they are expected to do certain things. Are they spying? Are they sending seeds back from farming to China? Are they getting plans from industries they’re working on?” Dr. Phil was off track. The person who wants to challenge existing policies or beliefs carries the burden of proof. Critical thinking fails when public figures, or the public at large, ignores that ..read more