Billy Graham was a 20th-century American evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and influential Christian leader known for his large-scale preaching missions (“crusades”) and widespread media broadcasts. He rose to international prominence through his work and served as a spiritual advisor to many U.S. presidents. Graham’s ministry reached hundreds of millions of people across more than 185 countries, and he was frequently listed as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World”.
Born: November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina
Religious calling: Felt a calling to ministry after a revival meeting in 1934 and went on to study theology.
Career highlights:
Became famous through large evangelistic crusades starting in the 1940s and 50s.
Used new media technologies like radio and television to spread his message, including his radio program “The Hour of Decision”.
Founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) to support his ministry.
Preached to hundreds of millions of people on every inhabited continent.
Served as a spiritual advisor to every U.S. president from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama.
Delivered a prayer at every Presidential inauguration from 1948 to 1996.
Family: Married Ruth McCue Bell in 1943; they had five children.
Death: Died on February 21, 2018, in Montreat, North Carolina.
Legacy: His son, Franklin Graham, now leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal and was the fourth private citizen to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.