Billy Graham was one of the most influential Christian evangelists of the 20th century, known for preaching the gospel to millions around the world with clarity, conviction, and compassion.
Born on November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina, William Franklin Graham Jr. grew up on a dairy farm. He became a Christian at age 16 during a revival meeting. After studying at the Florida Bible Institute and Wheaton College, he married fellow student Ruth Bell in 1943. Together, they had five children.
Graham rose to national prominence in 1949 during a tent revival in Los Angeles, which gained widespread media attention. His straightforward preaching style and powerful altar calls drew massive crowds. Over time, his evangelistic crusades would span nearly every continent, reaching more than 215 million people in over 185 countries.
Beyond the pulpit, Billy Graham was a spiritual advisor to U.S. presidents from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. He was known for promoting racial integration, refusing to preach to segregated audiences in the 1950s, and for emphasizing a message of love, salvation, and unity in Christ.
He also founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), a non-profit Christian outreach organization that promotes multimedia evangelism, conducts evangelistic crusades, and engages in disaster response. This organization extended his reach through radio, television, books, and films. Despite his fame, Graham remained humble, focused on pointing people to Jesus rather than himself.
Billy Graham passed away on February 21, 2018, at the age of 99. His legacy continues through his son Franklin Graham and the ongoing work of the BGEA. Widely respected across denominational and political lines, Billy Graham is remembered as “America’s Pastor,” a man whose life was dedicated to sharing the hope of the gospel.
