Billy Graham - Biography

Photo: Billy Graham William (Billy) F. Graham
Evangelist and Chairman of the Board

Biography

BORN
William (Billy) F. Graham; November 7, 1918; Charlotte, North Carolina

PARENTS
William Franklin (deceased 1962) and Morrow Coffey Graham (deceased 1981)

MARRIED
Ruth McCue Bell, 1943 (deceased 2007)

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

VOCATION
1939: Ordained to the ministry by a church in the Southern Baptist Convention
1943-45: Pastor, First Baptist Church, Western Springs, Illinois
1945-50: Charter Vice President, Youth for Christ International, Chicago, Illinois
1947-52: President, Northwestern Schools, consisting of three institutions: a liberal arts college, Bible school and theological seminary
1950 -- : Founded Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1950 -- : Began weekly "Hour of Decision" radio program which is heard on more than 700 stations around the world

PUBLISHED
1947: "Calling Youth to Christ"
1952: Author of syndicated newspaper column "My Answer" carried by newspapers across the country with a combined circulation of 5,000,000 readers
1953: "I Saw Your Sons at War"
1953: "Peace With God" -- over 2 million copies sold in 38 languages, revised and expanded in 1984
1955: "Freedom from the Seven Deadly Sins"
1955: "The Secret of Happiness"
1958: "Billy Graham Talks to Teenagers"
1960: "My Answer"
1960: "Billy Graham Answers Your Questions"
1965: "World Aflame" -- The New York Times and Time magazine Best-Seller Lists for several weeks
1969: "The Challenge"
1971: "The Jesus Generation"
1975: "Angels: God's Secret Agents" -- Publishers Weekly & New York Times Best-Seller Lists (21 weeks each); Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Platinum Book Award
1977: "How to Be Born Again"
1978: "The Holy Spirit" -- ECPA Gold Book Award
1981: "Till Armageddon" -- ECPA Platinum Book Award
1983: "Approaching Hoofbeats: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" -- The New York Times Best-Seller List; ECPA Gold Book Award
1984: "A Biblical Standard for Evangelists"
1986: "Unto the Hills"
1987: "Facing Death and the Life After" -- Christian Booksellers Association Best-Seller List (21 weeks)
1988: "Answers to Life's Problems"
1991: "Hope for the Troubled Heart"
1992: "Storm Warning"
1997: "Just As I Am"
2002: "Hope for Each Day"
2003: "The Key To Personal Peace"
2005: “Living in God’s Love: The New York Crusade”
2006: “The Journey”
2008: "Wisdom For Each Day"
2010: "Storm Warning"
2011: "Nearing Home"
2012: "The Heaven Answer Book"

AWARDS AND HONORS
(The following is a partial list of the numerous awards received by Mr. Graham):

"Ten Most Admired Men in the World" from the Gallup Poll since 1948 a total of 56 times, including 50 consecutive in 2012-- more than any other individual in the world, placing him at the head of the overall list of those most admired by Americans for the past five decades
Clergyman of the Year from the National Pilgrim Society
Distinguished Service Medal of the Salvation Army
Who's Who in America annually since 1954
Freedoms Foundation Distinguished Persons Award (numerous years)
Gold Medal Award, National Institute of Social Science, New York, 1957
Annual Gutenberg Award of the Chicago Bible Society, 1962
Gold Award of the George Washington Carver Memorial Institute, 1964, for contribution to race relations, presented by Senator Javits (NY)
Speaker of the Year Award, 1964
Golden Plate Award, American Academy of Achievement, 1965
Horatio Alger Award, 1965
National Citizenship Award by the Military Chaplains Association of the U.S.A., 1965
Wisdom Award of Honor, 1965
Big Brother of the Year Award, at the White House, Washington, D.C.,1966, for contribution to the welfare of children
The Torch of Liberty Plaque by the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, 1969
George Washington Honor Medal from Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for his sermon "The Violent Society," 1969
Honored by Morality in Media for "fostering the principles of truth, taste, inspiration and love in media," 1969
International Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, 1971
Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Broadcasters, 1972
Franciscan International Award, 1972
Sylvanus Thayer Award from United States Military Academy Association of Graduates at West Point (The most prestigious award the United States Military Academy gives to a U.S. citizen), 1972
George Washington Medal Award for Patriotism from Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge, 1974
Direct Selling Association's Salesman of the Decade award, 1975
Philip Award from the Association of United Methodist Evangelists, 1976
First National Interreligious Award, American Jewish Committee, 1977
Distinguished Communications Medal, Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission, 1977
Jabotinsky Centennial Medal presented by The Jabotinsky Foundation, 1980
Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame award, 1981
Templeton Foundation Prize for Progress in Religion award, 1982
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award,1983
National Religious Broadcasters Award of Merit, 1986
North Carolina Award in Public Service, 1986
Good Housekeeping Most Admired Men Poll, 1997, #1 for five years in a row and 16th time in top 10
Congressional Gold Medal, highest honor Congress can bestow on a private citizen, 1996
Inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association --the first non-musician to be inducted, 1999
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Freedom Award, for monumental and lasting contributions to the cause of freedom, 2000
Honorary Knight Commander of the order of the British Empire (KBE) for his international contribution to civic and religious life over 60 years, 2001
Many honorary degrees

CHILDREN
Virginia, 1945
Anne Morrow, 1948
Ruth Bell, 1950
William Franklin, III, 1952
Nelson Edman, 1958
19 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren

RESIDENCE
In the mountains of western North Carolina

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