Editing Billy Graham (section)

{{Short description|American evangelist (1918–2018)}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}<!-- semiprotected -->
{{similar names|Bill Graham (disambiguation){{!}}Bill Graham}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox clergy  
| background     = #F3E5AB
|honorific_prefix = [[The Reverend]]
|honorific_suffix = [[Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|KBE]]
|image = Billy Graham bw photo, April 11, 1966.jpg
|caption = Graham in 1966
| alt = Graham in a suit with his fist clenched
| birth_name = William Franklin Graham Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|11|7}}
| birth_place = {{nowrap|[[Charlotte, North Carolina]], U.S.}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|2|21|1918|11|7}}
| death_place = [[Montreat, North Carolina]], U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Ruth Graham|Ruth Bell]]|1943|June 14, 2007|reason=died}}
| children = [[Gigi Graham|Gigi]], [[Anne Graham Lotz|Anne]], Ruth, [[Franklin Graham|Franklin]] and Nelson
| education = {{plainlist|
* [[Florida Bible Institute]]
* [[Wheaton College (Illinois)|Wheaton College]]
}}
| ordained = 1939
| signature = Billy Graham Signature.svg

|module = {{Infobox officeholder|embed=yes
|office = President of [[University of Northwestern – St. Paul|Northwestern College]]
|term_start = 1948
|term_end = 1952
|predecessor = [[William Bell Riley]] 
|successor = Richard Elvee
|office2 = President of the {{avoid wrap|[[Billy Graham Evangelistic Association]]}}
|term_start2 = 1950
|term_end2 = 2001
|predecessor2 = ''Post established''
|successor2 = [[Franklin Graham]]
 }}
{{Infobox religious biography|embed=yes
| background     = #F3E5AB
| profession = [[Evangelism|Evangelist]]
| religion       = [[Christianity]]
| church       = [[Protestant]]
|denomination = [[Baptist]] ([[Southern Baptist Convention]])
 }}
}}

'''William Franklin Graham Jr.'''<!-- DO NOT ADD Billy Graham into here, William Franklin Graham Jr. is his birth name --> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|g|r|eɪ|ə|m}}; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American [[Evangelism|evangelist]], ordained [[Southern Baptist]] minister, and [[Civil rights movement|civil rights]] advocate,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Billy Graham Was a Champion of the Civil Rights Movement |url=https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/billy-graham/why-billy-graham-was-a-champion-of-the-civil-rights-movement.html |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Crosswalk.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014 |title=Billy Graham and Racial Equality |url=https://static.billygraham.org/sites/billygrahamlibrary.org/uploads/pro/2018/01/Student-Tours-Curriculum-Civil-Rights-Middle-School.pdf |website=Billy Graham Evangelical Association}}</ref> whose broadcasts and world tours featuring live [[sermon]]s became well known in the mid- to late 20th century. Throughout his career, spanning over six decades, Graham rose to prominence as an [[evangelical Christian]] figure in the United States and abroad.

According to a biographer, Graham was considered "among the most influential Christian leaders" of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite book|quote=Billy Graham stands among the most influential Christian leaders of the twentieth century.|publisher=Oxford University Press|url=https://global.oup.com/academic/product/billy-graham-9780190683528?cc=us&lang=en&#|title=Billy Graham: American Pilgrim|access-date=February 21, 2018|isbn=978-0-19-068352-8|date=June 26, 2017}}</ref> Beginning in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Graham became known for filling stadiums and other massive venues around the world where he preached live sermons; these were often broadcast via radio and television with some continuing to be seen into the 21st century.<ref>{{cite web |last=Swank jr |first=J. Grant |url=http://www.tbn.org/announcements/billy-graham-classics-span-25-years-of-gospel-preaching-for-the-masses |title=Billy Graham Classics Span 25 Years of Gospel Preaching for the Masses |work=[[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]] |access-date=April 25, 2013 |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022031906/http://www.tbn.org/announcements/billy-graham-classics-span-25-years-of-gospel-preaching-for-the-masses }}</ref> During his six decades on television, Graham hosted his [[List of Billy Graham's crusades|annual "crusades"]], evangelistic live-campaigns, from 1947 until his retirement in 2005. He also hosted the radio show ''[[Hour of Decision]]'' from 1950 to 1954. He openly repudiated [[racial segregation]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Ellis |first=Carl |date=February 24, 2018 |title=Preaching Redemption Amidst Racism: Remembering Billy Graham |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2018/february/advocate-for-all-remembering-billy-graham.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227165429/http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2018/february/advocate-for-all-remembering-billy-graham.html |archive-date=February 27, 2018 |access-date=March 3, 2018 |work=[[Christianity Today]]}}</ref> at a time of intense [[Mass racial violence in the United States|racial strife in the United States]], insisting on [[racial integration]] for all of his revivals and crusades, as early as 1953. He also later invited [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] to preach jointly at [[New York Crusade (1957)|a revival in New York City]] in 1957. In addition to his religious aims, he helped shape the worldview of a huge number of people who came from different backgrounds, leading them to find a relationship between the Bible and contemporary secular viewpoints. According to his website, Graham spoke to live audiences consisting of at least 210 million people, in more than 185 countries and territories, through various meetings, including [[BMS World Mission]] and Global Mission event.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billygraham.org/mediaRelations/bios.asp?p=1 |title=Media: Bios – William (Billy) F. Graham |publisher=Billy Graham Evangelistic Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070131004400/http://www.billygraham.org/mediaRelations/bios.asp?p=1 |archive-date=January 31, 2007}}</ref>

Graham was close to US presidents [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] (one of his closest friends),{{sfn|Aikman|2010|p=203}} and [[Richard Nixon]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6D61E3AF93AA35751C1A964958260 |title=The Transition; Billy Graham to lead Prayers |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 9, 1992 |access-date=December 24, 2007}}</ref> He was also lifelong friends with [[Robert Schuller]], another [[televangelist]] and the founding pastor of the [[Crystal Cathedral]], whom Graham talked into starting his own television ministry.<ref name="crystalcathedral archives">{{cite web|url=http://www.crystalcathedral.org/about/rhs.php |title=Dr. Robert H. Schuller |publisher=Crystal Cathedral Ministries |access-date=November 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016112941/http://www.crystalcathedral.org/about/rhs.php |archive-date=October 16, 2012}}</ref> Graham's evangelism was appreciated by [[mainline Protestant]] denominations, as he encouraged  mainline Protestants, who were [[Conversion to Christianity|converted]] to his evangelical message, to remain within or return to their mainline churches.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Killen|first1=Patricia O'Connell |last2=Silk|first2=Mark |title=Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest: The None Zone|publisher=Rowman Altamira|language=en|quote=In the 1957 revival in New York City Graham partnered with mainline Protestant denominations and insisted that those who were converted at the revivals return to their mainline churches.|page=84}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.christiancentury.org/article/2003-11/billy-pulpit|title=The Billy pulpit: Graham's career in the mainline|last=Wacker|first=Grant|date=November 15, 2003|magazine=[[The Christian Century]]|access-date=March 1, 2018|quote=Crusade counselors are instructed to return the favor by sending "inquirers" back to mainline churches when requested.}}</ref> Despite early suspicions and apprehension on his part  towards [[Catholicism]]—common among contemporaneous evangelical Protestants—Graham eventually developed amicable ties with many [[Catholic Church in the United States|American Catholic Church]] figures, later encouraging unity between Catholics and Protestants.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/02/21/how-billy-graham-shaped-american-catholicism|title=How Billy Graham shaped American Catholicism|last=Sweeney|first=Jon M.|date=February 21, 2018|work=[[America (magazine)|America]]|access-date=April 2, 2018|quote=A few years later, in 1964, Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston (who, as archbishop, had even endorsed a Graham crusade in Boston in 1950) met with Mr. Graham upon returning from Rome and the Second Vatican Council, declaring before a national television audience that Mr. Graham's message was good for Catholics.}}</ref>

Graham operated a variety of media and publishing outlets;<ref name="cincinnati post">{{cite news |title=Man with a mission |url=http://www2.cincinnati.com/billygraham/p_man.html |first=Barry M. |last=Horstmann |work=Cincinnati Post |date=June 27, 2002 |access-date=August 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203122410/http://cincinnati.com/billygraham/p_man.html |archive-date=December 3, 2008 }}</ref> according to his staff, more than 3.2&nbsp;million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to "accept [[Jesus in Christianity|Jesus Christ]] as their [[personal savior]]". Graham's lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, likely surpassed billions of people.<ref>Molly Worthen (February 4, 2015). [https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/evangelical-boilerplate/ ''"Evangelical Boilerplate"'']. ''[[The Nation]]''. Retrieved April 2, 2023. "[...] during his sixty years of full-time evangelism, 215 million people heard him preach in person, and another 2 billion tuned in to telecasts. His radio (and later television) show Hour of Decision reached 20 million homes in the 1950s..."
*Jeff Tiberii (February 21, 2018). ''"[https://www.wunc.org/news/2018-02-21/evangelist-billy-graham-who-reached-millions-dies-at-99 Evangelist Billy Graham, Who Reached Millions, Dies At 99]"'' North Carolina Public Radio. wunc.org. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Jennifer Mulson (February 2, 2020). ''"[https://gazette.com/life/new-billy-graham-exhibit-dedicated-to-evangelists-life-ministry/article_a8432430-412e-11ea-8320-0b246dcad78b.html New Billy Graham exhibit dedicated to evangelist's life, ministry]"''. ''The Colorado Springs Gazette''. gazette.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Tim Funk (February 21, 2018) ''"[https://www.wbtv.com/story/37558263/key-moments-in-the-long-life-of-billy-graham/ Key moments in the long life of Billy Graham]"''. Gray Media Group. wbtv.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Jeaneane Payne (February 21, 2018). ''"[https://www.knoxvilledailysun.com/news/2018/february/billy-graham-death.html Billy Graham is now face to face with his leader]"''. ''Knoxville Daily Sun''. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Evan Garcia (February 21, 2018). ''"[https://news.wttw.com/2018/02/21/billy-graham-america-s-pastor-got-his-start-chicago-area Billy Graham, 'America's Pastor,' Got His Start in the Chicago Area]"''. WTTW, Chicago. news.wttw.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Encyclopedia.com – [https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/philosophy-and-religion/protestant-christianity-biographies/billy-graham Billy Graham]. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Phil Anderson (February 21, 2018). ''"[https://www.cjonline.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2018/02/21/evangelist-billy-graham-counselor-to-several-presidents-dies-at-age-99/14216185007/ Evangelist Billy Graham, a counselor to several presidents, dies at age 99]"''. ''The Topeka Capital-Journal''; Gannett. cjonline.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Tanda Gmiter (February 21, 2018). ''"[https://www.mlive.com/news/us-world/2018/02/billy_graham_dies_at_99.html Billy Graham, dead at 99, known for 'Crusades' with Michigan roots]"''. MLive Media Group. mlive.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
*Ben Cosgrove. ''"[https://www.life.com/people/billy-graham-rare-photos-from-early-years-of-his-career/ LIFE With Billy Graham: Rare Photos From the Early Years of His Career]"''. [[Life (magazine)|''Life'' Magazine]]. life.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.</ref> As a result of his crusades, Graham preached the gospel to more people, live and in-person, than anyone in the history of Christianity.<ref name="cincinnati post" /> Graham was on [[Gallup's list of most admired men and women]] a record-61 times.<ref name="Gallup 2018 most admired list" /> [[Grant Wacker]] wrote that, by the mid-1960s, he had become the "Great Legitimator", saying: "By then his presence conferred status on presidents, acceptability on wars, shame on racial prejudice, desirability on decency, dishonor on indecency, and prestige on civic events."{{sfn|Wacker|2014|pages=24–25}}