On November 7, 1918, Billy Graham was born in Charlotte. A worldwide symbol of evangelism, he has preached to millions of people. Hundreds of millions more, in every corner of the globe, have heard his message through television, radio, print and film.
Ordained by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1940, Graham studied Scripture at Florida Bible Institute and graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois in 1943. It was during a tent crusade in downtown Los Angeles in 1949 that Graham and his evangelistic team were launched into worldwide prominence. Originally scheduled for three weeks, the meetings drew overflow crowds each night for more than two months. Subsequent crusades, both in the United States and overseas, witnessed similar enthusiasm.
In 1950, Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The organization, now headquartered in Charlotte, is also home to the Billy Graham Library. The Billy Graham Training Center is located in Asheville.
Often listed by the Gallup organization as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” Graham prayed with every U.S. president since Harry Truman. He passed away Feb. 21, 2018, at his home in Montreat.
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