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Rev. James Forbes

Rev. James Forbes

Keynote Speaker: Charismatic and Radically Progressive Spiritual Leader; Known as "The Preacher's Preacher"

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Rev. James Forbes Biography

The Rev. Dr. James Alexander Forbes, Jr., is National Minister of the Drum Major Institute, Senior Minister Emeritus of The Riverside Church, The Harry Emerson Fosdick Distinguished Professor at Union Theological Seminary, and President of the Healing of the Nations Ministries (all of these institutions of New York City). Additionally, Dr. Forbes is a highly acclaimed author, scholar and nationally sought-after speaker, affectionately referred to in national and international religious circles as the preacher’s preacher because of his extensive preaching career and his charismatic style.

Newsweek magazine once recognized Forbes as one of the 12 “most effective preachers” in the English-speaking world. As a passionate educator, administrator, community and human rights activist and interfaith leader, Dr. Forbes was twice designated as one of America’s greatest Black preachers by Ebony magazine. Dr. Forbes is a featured TEDex speaker and also a frequent guest & contributor to top national media outlets including Huffington Post, MSNBC and others.

As Senior Minister of the Riverside Churchan interdenominational, interracial, and international church built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1927, Dr. Forbes led a 2,400 member church. Affiliated with the American Baptist Churches and the United Church of Christ. Forbes was installed as the fifth senior minister of Riverside on June 1, 1989 and retired on June 1, 2007. He was the first African-American to serve as minister of this multicultural congregation. Dr. Forbes is an ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches.

Before being called to Riverside’s pulpit, Dr. Forbes served from 1976-1985 as the Brown and Sockman Associate Professor of Preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. From 1985-1989, he was Union’s first Joe R. Engle Professor of Preaching. Union named him the first Harry Emerson Fosdick Adjunct Professor of Preaching in 1989, when he accepted the pastorate at Riverside. Dr. Forbes has served on the Core Teaching Staff at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York.

Dr. Forbes has earned three degrees and has been awarded 14 honorary degrees. He earned a doctor of ministry degree from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, NY; a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, NY; and a bachelor of science in chemistry from Howard University in Washington, D.C. He earned his clinical pastoral education certificate from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, VA. His Alma Mater, Union Theology Seminary presented him its Unitas Distinguished Alumnus Award and Teacher’s College of Columbia University awarded him its Distinguished Service Medal in 2003. Howard University awarded him their Distinguished Service Award in Ministry. His honorary doctorates included degrees from the following colleges and universities: Princeton, DePauw, Colgate, Fairleigh Dickenson, Lehigh and the University of Richmond.

From 1992 to 2007, Dr. Forbes was co-chair of A Partnership of Faith, an interfaith organization of clergy among New York’s Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim communities. He is on the board of Manhattanville College, the Interfaith Alliance, Children’s Defense Fund, Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, and the United Way. He is a past president of The Martin Luther King Fellows. Dr. Forbes is also a member of Mayor DiBlasio’s Clergy Advisory Council in New York City. Additionally, two of Dr. Forbes’ songs have been published in the Silver Burdett Songbooks for schools: “For Children Safe and Strong” and “Our Families Together.” Dr. Forbes has performed the narration for several large musical productions, including Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” with the Riverside choir.

In 2016, Dr. Forbes participated in “The Revival: Time for a Moral Revolution of Values”, a national tour to redefine morality in American politics and challenge leaders of faith and moral courage to be more vocally opposed to harmful policies that disproportionately impact the poor, people who are ill, children, immigrants, communities of color, and religious minorities. Dr. Forbes was joined by the Rev. William Barber, II, the Rev. Traci Blackmon and Sister Simone Campbell.

In the fall of 2018, Dr. Forbes offered a lecture series entitled “Preaching and the Next Great Awakening” at Shaw University Divinity School to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He is currently teaching a course, “Preaching Jubilee Justice”, at Duke University Divinity School.

Born in 1935 in Burgaw, North Carolina, Dr. Forbes is married to Bettye Franks Forbes, formerly of San Antonio, TX. They are the proud parents of one son, James A. Forbes, III and two grandchildren, Hannah Rose and James IV.

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Rev. James Forbes Videos

Sermon- The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes - YouTube
The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr.: No Justice, No Righteousness ...
James Forbes: Compassion at the dinner table

How do I book Rev. James Forbes to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rev. James Forbes for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Rev. James Forbes, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Rev. James Forbes or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Rev. James Forbes for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Rev. James Forbes, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rev. James Forbes, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Rev. James Forbes speak about?

Rev. James Forbes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Faith & Religion.

Where does Rev. James Forbes travel from?

Rev. James Forbes generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Rev. James Forbes?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Rev. James Forbes for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Rev. James Forbes for your next private or corporate function.

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AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Rev. James Forbes or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Rev. James Forbes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Faith & Religion. The estimated speaking fee range to book Rev. James Forbes for live events is Below $10,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Rev. James Forbes generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Justin Buzzard, Roland Martin and John Gray. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rev. James Forbes for an upcoming event.

Rev. James Forbes Videos

Sermon- The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes - YouTube
The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr.: No Justice, No Righteousness ...
James Forbes: Compassion at the dinner table
Rev. James Forbes at the 2007 New York Leadership Awards ...

Rev. James Forbes Reviews

  • We were delighted with Rev. Forbes's weekend with us!
    The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church - Jan 26 2024

Rev. James Forbes News

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