"The ESU will continue to play an important role in promoting around the world that great language of liberty which is the English tongue. And I hope that in the years ahead those who speak to you as part of the Thatcher Lectures will add their voices to our proud and noble chorus of freedom." Lady Thatcher

This lecture series features a single presentation by a prominent individual to an audience comprised of English-Speaking Union members and others.

The series was modeled on the Churchill Lecture mounted by The English-Speaking Union in London since 1974. Former Churchill Lecturers include Ronald Reagan, Mary Robinson, Henry Kissinger, Conor Cruise O'Brien and Katherine Graham.

In 1999, Lady Thatcher agreed to lend her name to the series and delivered the inaugural lecture. The series continues a long tradition of bringing gifted speakers from a broad spectrum of fields such as journalism, politics, history and the arts to the ESU community. Today it hosts more than 250 presentations across the country annually.

The English-Speaking Union is enormously grateful to the late Sir Michael Richardson for his help and guidance in establishing the series.

1999	The Right Honorable The Baroness Margaret Thatcher, LG, OM, FRS
2002	Sir John Bond
2003	Sir Martin Sorrell
2007	Martin J. Sullivan