At the University of Michigan, we join with family and friends and innumerable fans in mourning the passing of James Earl Jones, a trailblazing actor, a resounding bass, and a lifetime Wolverine. 

Best known as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars, James Earl Jones was so much more. So we celebrate his life and achievements, his overcoming of a speech impediment in high school, his discovery of a love of acting at the University of Michigan, and his award-winning career, including two Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Grammy and an honorary Academy Award. 

Even more importantly, for all his success, James Earl Jones stayed true to the ethos of our university – exceptional in craft, humble in achievement, a pioneer, an artist and a leader.