Claim Details

James Earl Jones developed a stutter as a child after experiencing a traumatic move, which caused him to be almost mute until his high school poetry teacher encouraged him to read his poems aloud.

Checked on 2024-09-25

No veracity assessment available for this claim.

No final truth score available for this claim.

Overall CRAAP Scores:
  • Currency 8.0
  • Relevance 10.0
  • Authority 7.4
  • Accuracy 9.0
  • Purpose 8.4
Sources:
How James Earl Jones Worked Through a Stutter and Several 'Mute Years ...

The late James Earl Jones previously opened up about living with a stutter and how he spent several 'mute years' as a kid until a high school teacher encouraged him to start speaking again through ...

CRAAP Scores:
  • Currency (8.0): The source is from 2024, which is recent and up-to-date.
  • Relevance (10.0): The source directly relates to the claim about James Earl Jones' stutter and his high school poetry teacher encouraging him to read his poems aloud.
  • Authority (7.0): The source is from People.com, a reputable entertainment news website, but it may not be considered an academic or scholarly source.
  • Accuracy (9.0): The information provided in the snippet seems reliable and truthful, as it is based on James Earl Jones' own account.
  • Purpose (8.0): The purpose of the information is clear, as it aims to inform readers about James Earl Jones' personal experiences with a stutter and how he overcame it. However, there might be some bias due to the nature of entertainment news.
James Earl Jones Had Stutter, Didn't Talk For Years to Hide It - TODAY

The late actor, who died at 93, had a lifelong speech impediment that made him silent for years as a child. He learned to manage it with a teacher's help and became a renowned voice actor.

CRAAP Scores:
  • Currency (8.0): The source is from 2024, which is recent and up-to-date.
  • Relevance (10.0): The source directly relates to the claim about James Earl Jones' stutter and his journey to overcome it.
  • Authority (8.0): The source is from TODAY, a reputable news organization known for its accurate reporting.
  • Accuracy (9.0): The information provided in the source is reliable, truthful, and correct based on the context of the claim.
  • Purpose (9.0): The purpose of the information is clear, and it appears to be free of bias, focusing on the personal story of James Earl Jones.
Decade of silence: Science behind James Earl Jones' life with ...

After discovering his gift for writing, high school educator Donald Crouch demanded he read one of his poems aloud in class. Jones did so perfectly. From there, persistent practice brought the speaking barrier tumbling. "I could not get enough of speaking, debating, orating—acting," Jones said in his book.

CRAAP Scores:
  • Currency (8.0): The source is from 2024, which is recent and up-to-date.
  • Relevance (10.0): The source directly relates to James Earl Jones' life and his experience with stuttering.
  • Authority (7.0): The source appears to be a reputable news site focused on health and medicine, but it's not a scholarly or academic source.
  • Accuracy (9.0): The information provided seems reliable and accurate, as it quotes Jones' book and provides specific details about his experience.
  • Purpose (8.0): The purpose of the information is clear, and it appears to be free of bias.
James Earl Jones: How the legend overcame his stutter

More than that, Crouch encouraged Jones to work on his stuttering by getting him involved in debating and dramatic reading, especially poetry. Jones's favourite poet was Edgar Allan Poe, and he would later read 'The Raven' in the classic Treehouse of Horror episode of The Simpsons in 1990.

CRAAP Scores:
  • Currency (8.0): The source is from 2024, which is up-to-date information.
  • Relevance (10.0): The source directly relates to the claim about James Earl Jones' stutter and how it was overcome.
  • Authority (7.0): The source appears to be a reputable entertainment news site, but it may not be an expert in the field of speech therapy or psychology.
  • Accuracy (9.0): The information provided seems reliable and truthful, as it is based on well-known facts about James Earl Jones' life.
  • Purpose (8.0): The purpose of the information is clear, and it does not appear to be biased.
Can James Earl Jones’ triumph over stuttering inspire others?

In fact, his stuttering was so severe as a child that he barely spoke and was essentially mute from first grade to his freshman year of high school. That’s when a teacher had him read poetry in front of class, which helped him get a handle on the condition. The experience also inspired him to pursue a career in the arts, eventually leading ...

CRAAP Scores:
  • Currency (8.0): The source is from 2024, which is very recent and up-to-date.
  • Relevance (10.0): The source directly discusses James Earl Jones' stuttering and how it was influenced by his high school poetry teacher.
  • Authority (8.0): The source is from a reputable university news site, indicating that it has credibility and authority.
  • Accuracy (9.0): The source provides specific details about James Earl Jones' stuttering and its impact on his life, suggesting that the information is reliable and correct.
  • Purpose (9.0): The purpose of the article is clear, as it aims to inspire others with James Earl Jones' story of overcoming stuttering. It appears to be free of bias.
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