Billy Graham

William F. "Billy" Graham Jr.

Born

Nov. 7, 1918
Charlotte, North Carolina

Died

Feb. 21, 2018
Montreat, North Carolina

Parents

William Franklin Graham Sr. (died 1962)
Morrow Coffey Graham (died 1981)

Married

Ruth McCue Bell in 1943 (died June 14, 2007, age 87)

Education

1943: B.A., Wheaton College—Wheaton, Illinois
1940: Graduated, Florida Bible Institute (now Trinity College of Florida)

Vocation

1950

Founder and chairman, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Began Hour of Decision weekly radio program, broadcast around the world for more than 60 years.

1947–52

President, Northwestern Schools in Minneapolis

1945–50

Charter Vice President, Youth for Christ International, Chicago

1943–45

Pastor, The Village Church of Western Springs (now Western Springs Baptist Church), Western Springs, Illinois

1941–43

Pastor, United Gospel Tabernacle, Wheaton, Illinois

1939

Ordained at Peniel Baptist Church, Palatka, Florida

Outreach

Preaching

Billy Graham preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to some 215 million people who attended one of his more than 400 Crusades, simulcasts and evangelistic rallies in more than 185 countries and territories. A 2005 Gallup poll revealed that 35 million people in America—one in six U.S. adults—had heard Billy Graham preach in person.

Television Ministry

Regular prime-time broadcasts, which began in 1957, have reached millions of households in the U.S. and around the world. In 2013, Graham delivered his final message—the culmination of his My Hope America project—via more than 480 stations.

Presidential

Billy Graham provided spiritual counsel to 12 sitting U.S. presidents—from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama. Graham participated in events surrounding nine presidential inaugurations—participating in four swearing-in ceremonies.

Published

34 books (1947–2017) See list below
"My Answer" (since 1952)—syndicated column carried by newspapers throughout the U.S. with a combined circulation of some 5 million.

Select Awards & Honors

The following is a partial list of the numerous awards and honors received by Graham:

Gallup's "Ten Most Admired Men in the World"—selected 61 times since 1955 (55 consecutive years, except when the question was not asked in 1976), more than any other individual in the world
Good Housekeeping Most Admired Men Poll, appeared in the top ten 16 times, as No. 1 five years in a row
Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), 2001, for his international contribution to civic and religious life for more than 60 years
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Freedom Award, 2000, for monumental contributions to the cause of freedom
Inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association, 1999, the first non-musician to be inducted
Congressional Gold Medal, 1996, the highest honor Congress can bestow on a private citizen
The 1,900th star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, 1989, the first clergyman to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for radio, television and preaching ministry
Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1983, the highest honor the president can bestow on a private citizen
George Washington Medal Award for Patriotism, 1974, from Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge
Sylvanus Thayer Award from the U.S. Military Academy Association of Graduates at West Point, 1972, the most prestigious award the U.S. Military Academy gives to a U.S. citizen who exemplifies the ideals expressed in the West Point motto, "Duty, Honor, Country"
International Brotherhood Award, 1971, from the National Conference of Christians and Jews
The Torch of Liberty Plaque by the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, 1969
Horatio Alger Award, 1965, for the accomplishments of individuals who have succeeded in the face of adversity

Books by Reverend Billy Graham

2017

Hope for Each Day: 365 Devotions for Kids (Tommy Nelson)

2015

God's Good News Bible Storybook (Tommy Nelson)

Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity and Our Life Beyond (Thomas Nelson)

2013

The Reason for My Hope: Salvation (Thomas Nelson)

2012

The Heaven Answer Book (Thomas Nelson)

2011

Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well (Thomas Nelson)

2010

Storm Warning (Thomas Nelson, reprint edition)

2008

Wisdom for Each Day (Thomas Nelson)

2007

Just As I Am (Harper Collins, reprint edition)

2006

The Journey: How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World (W Publishing Group)

2005

Living in God's Love: The New York Crusade (Putnam Publishing)—Reprinted as paperback in 2006 under the title, The Last Crusade (Berkley Trade)

2003

The Key to Personal Peace (Thomas Nelson)

2002

Hope for Each Day (J. Countryman)

1997

Just As I Am (Harper Collins)—Updated and expanded in 2007, Harper Collins

1992

Storm Warning (W Publishing)—Revised and expanded in 2010, Thomas Nelson

1991

Hope for the Troubled Heart (Word Publishing)

1988

Answers to Life's Problems (Word Publishing)

1987

Facing Death and the Life After (Word Publishing)—Christian Booksellers Association best-seller list

1986

Unto the Hills (Word Publishing)

1984

Peace with God (Word Publshing, reprint edition)

A Biblical Standard for Evangelists (World Wide Publications)

1983

Approaching Hoofbeats: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Word Publishing)—The New York Times best-seller list; Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Gold Book Award

1981

Till Armageddon (Word Publishing)–ECPA Platinum Book Award

1978

The Holy Spirit (Word Publishing)—ECPA Gold Book Award

1977

How to Be Born Again (W Publishing Group)

1975

Angels: God’s Secret Agents (Guideposts Associates)—Publishers Weekly and The New York Times best-seller lists; ECPA Platinum Book Award

1971

The Jesus Generation (World Wide Publications)

1969

The Challenge (Doubleday & Co.)

1965

World Aflame (Doubleday & Co.)—The New York Times and Time magazine best-seller lists

1960

Billy Graham Answers Your Questions (World Wide Publications)

My Answer (Doubleday & Co.)

1958

Billy Graham Talks to Teenagers (Zondervan)

1955

The Secret of Happiness (Doubleday & Co.)

Freedom from the Seven Deadly Sins (Zondervan)

1953

Peace with God (Doubleday & Co.)—More than 2 million copies sold in 38 languages; revised and expanded in 1984, Word Publishing

I Saw Your Sons at War (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)

1947

Calling Youth to Christ (Zondervan)