| James H. Cummings | |
| Office: | 74th Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives |
| Term Start: | January 3, 1967 |
| Term End: | January 7, 1969 |
| Predecessor: | Dick Barry |
| Successor: | Bill Jenkins |
| Office1: | 31st Secretary of State of Tennessee |
| Governor1: | Gordon Browning |
| Term Start1: | 1949 |
| Term End1: | 1953 |
| Predecessor1: | Joe C. Carr |
| Successor1: | George Edward Friar |
| Office2: | Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives |
| Term Start2: | January 5, 1959 |
| Term End2: | January 2, 1973 |
| Preceded2: | Raymond C. Duke |
| Succeeded2: | Frank Buck |
| Constituency2: | Cannon County (1959–63) 14th district (1963–65) 18th district (1965–73) |
| Term Start3: | January 3, 1955 |
| Term End3: | January 7, 1957 |
| Preceded3: | Hoyt Bryson |
| Succeeded3: | Raymond C. Duke |
| Constituency3: | Cannon County |
| Term Start4: | January 2, 1939 |
| Term End4: | January 6, 1947 |
| Preceded4: | L. E. Willard |
| Succeeded4: | Hoyt Bryson |
| Constituency4: | Cannon County |
| Term Start5: | January 5, 1931 |
| Term End5: | January 4, 1937 |
| Preceded5: | O. E. Simpson |
| Succeeded5: | L. E. Willard |
| Constituency5: | Cannon County |
| State Senate6: | Tennessee |
| District6: | 12th |
| Term Start6: | January 7, 1957 |
| Term End6: | January 5, 1959 |
| Preceded6: | McAllen Foutch |
| Succeeded6: | Barton Dement |
| Term Start7: | January 6, 1947 |
| Term End7: | January 3, 1949 |
| Preceded7: | James E. Evins |
| Succeeded7: | Shelton H. Edwards |
| Term Start8: | January 4, 1937 |
| Term End8: | January 2, 1939 |
| Preceded8: | James E. Evins |
| Succeeded8: | Knox T. Hutchinson |
| Term Start9: | January 7, 1929 |
| Term End9: | January 5, 1931 |
| Preceded9: | Albert D. McKnight |
| Succeeded9: | Charles C. Jackson |
| Birth Name: | James Harvey Cummings |
| Birth Date: | November 8, 1890 |
| Birth Place: | Cannon, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Tennessee, U.S. |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Spouse: | Hesta McBroom |
| Education: | Cumberland University |
| Relations: | Carolyn C. Perrucci (niece) |
James Harvey Cummings (November 8, 1890 - November 1, 1979) was a Tennessee farmer, attorney and political figure.[1]
Cummings was born in Cannon County, Tennessee, USA, east-southeast of Nashville. Other than during the course of his higher education he was a resident of that county throughout his life.
He was first elected to represent that area in the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1928 and served for ten consecutive terms. He was then elected Tennessee Secretary of State by his fellow legislators, serving from 1949 to 1953. He then returned to the legislature and served ten more consecutive terms prior to his retirement in 1972. During this time he became known as the "Dean of the Legislature" and also "The Last of the $4 a Day Men", in reference to his service at a time when Tennessee state legislators were allowed no salary at all and were paid only $4/day in expense money.
Cummings was very popular among his constituents and seldom faced any organized efforts to defeat him for reelection, and was honored by his peers during the last day of the 1972 session prior to his retirement. Later, the portion of State Route 53 between the Cannon County seat of Woodbury and Interstate 24 was named the Jim Cummings Highway in his honor. He is buried three miles outside of Woodbury.