Listening to speaker, historian and humanitarian Clay Jenkinson, it’s difficult not to be in awe of his vast amounts of knowledge.

Jenkinson, the Helena Education Foundation’s visiting scholar, gave presentations reflecting history and portraying significant characters at the Great Northern Town Center during the past two days.

He portrayed 26th president Theodore Roosevelt Thursday night to a group of more than 250 community members, politicians, educators and young people.

Jenkinson gave a historical account of the life and the man who became president in 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley. But the presentation isn’t just about dates and facts — Jenkinson “becomes” the character, taking his audience into the thought processes behind decisions and choices an individual made.

He said Roosevelt’s proudest accomplishment during his time in office was beginning work on the Panama Canal.

“There is almost nothing that matters more from a commercial point of view,” he said as Roosevelt.

Roosevelt was known as a war hero and believes the best defense for American sovereignty is the Navy, Jenkinson said.

“You cannot be a great nation without a great Navy,” he intoned as if he were Roosevelt.

Moderator and Montana Supreme Court Justice Patricia Cotter asked if Roosevelt thought a woman could lead the country in political office. The Roosevelt interpreter told her that “If she has the strength, iron in her belly, will to lead, by God, yes.”

He later told all the women in the room to have four, five, six, seven or even eight babies and not to betray their destiny of motherhood.

Still in character, Jenkinson answered questions from the audience. One question was regarding his stance on the current war in Iraq.

“On to Syria!” he said, adding that he always lamented there was no big war during his time in office.

Jenkinson recites dates and places without flinching. He kept the audience captivated for nearly two hours.

Retired education Bill Anderson, of Helena, said listening to Jenkinson’s presentation, “made him think.”

“The world needs a lot of help right now,” said Anderson, a long-time Roosevelt fan. He added that the country could use someone like Roosevelt right now.

On Friday, Jenkinson portrayed J. Robert Oppenheimer to more than 150 honors students from Helena and Capital high schools.

Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, was an impatient man who was just as interested in humanities as hard sciences, Jenkinson said.

Jenkinson brought the story to life as he recounted the time period leading up to the creation and eventual detonation of the atomic bomb through the eyes of Oppenheimer.

Jenkinson is an author and social commentator who lectures and portrays Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis and John Wesley Powell around the country. He has presented more than 15 times in Helena including twice for the Montana Legislature.

Jenkinson is the host of nationally syndicated weekly radio program “The Thomas Jefferson Hour” airing on NPR since 1999.

He has a deep love for the Badlands and resides in Bismarck where he writes a weekly column for the Bismarck Tribune.