Many patriots who are of the younger generation have asked members of the Thomas Jefferson Center: “We have heard of W. Cleon Skousen.  We know he wrote the popular Five Thousand Year Leap.  But who was he?  What is his background that gives him such credibility?”

First of all, it is important to know that Cleon Skousen was co-founder of the Thomas Jefferson Center.  As his son-in-law, Glenn Kimber joined with him in organizing the TJC  with a mission to inform the public about what is happening in America, and warn them of the dangers of big government.

To further enlighten those who do not know Dr. Skousen, the article below is a great description of who he was and lists his great life’s accomplishments.  Dr. Skousen passed away on January 9, 2006.  The following was presented at the height of his career in the 1980s:

Who was W. Cleon Skousen?

At a time when Mr. Skousen was giving hundreds of speeches each year, he occasionally received rather unusual introductions. Here is one of them. The chairman said:

“Before presenting our speaker, I have been asked to recognize ten distinguished gentlemen whom we have with us tonight. I will first introduce their accomplishments and then introduce them by name. All of these men are friends of our speaker.

“First, we have with us a national authority on child development who has written one of America’s most widely read books on raising boys.

“Second, we have with us a former FBI official who specialized in studying subversion and wrote a national best seller on the subject. He has also written a national best seller on the secret combinations which threaten the Constitution and the survival of freedom in America.

“Third, we have with us a university professor who is a specialist on the Bible and other Christian writings, and who teaches a thousand students per week. He is best known for several college texts which constitute a careful analysis of ancient scriptural literature.

“Fourth, I will also introduce to you the editorial director of a national law and order magazine. He writes a feature article each month for 15,000 chiefs of police throughout the nation.

“Fifth, we have with us a former chief of police of a major city who reorganized a scandalized police department. This effort eventually won the praise of Time Magazine, which called the result a ‘model department.’

“Sixth, we have another distinguished guest with us who is a world traveler. He has conducted tours to every continent on the globe, has spoken in every state of the Union, and has given lectures in 45 foreign countries.

“Seventh, we also want you to meet a lawyer who is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia and has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.  This attorney has specialized in a study of the United States Constitution, and he has written a text on that subject which is one of the most understandable and inspirational books on the Founding Fathers and the Constitution you are likely to read.

“Eighth, we have with us a distinguished churchman who has served in many ecclesiastical capacities, but is best known as a Sunday School teacher who sometimes attracts as many as 350 youth and adults per Sunday, including many of different faiths.

“Ninth, we want you to meet a man who is the national chairman of a committee which recently sponsored a bill in Congress that would return the Federal government to its original Constitutional functions. This bill is called HR-23. It would repeal the Federal income taxes and prohibit the government from competing with private enterprise.

“Tenth and finally, may I present to you the president of a national foundation which conducts conferences and educational programs throughout the country to train Americans in the fundamental genius of the nation’s original success formula. He can demonstrate that nearly every aggravating problem facing America today could be solved by returning to the Founding Fathers’ original formula for happiness, peace, and prosperity.

“Now, let me present each of these distinguished gentlemen by name. The most singular thing about them is that they all have the same name. These ten great men are all identified in the life and achievements of one man, our speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome these ten men in one, Dr. W. Cleon Skousen.”

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Healing of America Patriots can see a DVD on the life of W. Cleon Skousen.