The revered Billy Graham, known as “America’s Pastor,” will be honored on May 16 with a statue at the U.S. Capitol commemorating his life in ministry.

On February 21, 2018, William Franklin “Billy” Graham, Jr., died at age 99, leaving a legacy of serving God’s children and his country. Since World War II, he has stood beside 13 of the nation’s 46 presidents and counseled America’s Commander-in-Chief on many personal, social and biblical issues.

Billy Graham will be honored in “Carolina Bronze” in a private ceremony at The National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol for his unparalleled service to his country and more than five decades of evangelistic ministry.

“The legacy of Rev. Billy Graham is based on his simple message of forgiveness based on John 3:16. His lifelong commitment to preaching the Gospel, his fight for civil rights, his opposition to communism, and his spiritual guidance provided hope to hundreds of millions,” said Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) who was part of the bipartisan effort to place the statue in the Capitol via news release. “He was the first private citizen from North Carolina to lie in honor in the United States Capitol, and his likeness should stand in the U.S. Capitol forever.”

Additionally, the statue’s base features the minister’s favorite Bible verses—John 3:16 and John 14:6. On the grounds of the Billy Graham Library, there will also be a plaque similar to Graham’s grave marker: “Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The Presidential Service of Billy Graham

Known foremostly for holding crusades and sharing the Gospel worldwide, Billy Graham remained faithful to the office of the President. This journey is seen by his consistency in speaking to the man outside of the party.

In 1950, his visits to 1600 Pennsylvania began with a request to pray with Harry Truman, who later famously welcomed Billy Graham to his home in Missouri. His legacy to serve our nation’s leadership grew from there.

• Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president Graham counseled as the president struggled with sending troops to protect school integration in Little Rock, Arkansas
• He was asked to join JFK, a devout Catholic, during the presidential inauguration to speak about being a spiritual example for the nation
• For Lyndon Johnson, Graham spoke about civil rights and comforted him in the wake of John F. Kennedy’s assassination for hours.
• Billy Graham’s dear friend was Richard Nixon, with whom he shared countless meetings about faith, servant leadership, and Nixon’s Quaker faith.
• Gerald Ford called upon Rev. Graham to discuss a presidential pardon for Nixon, for whom he served as Vice President

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  Jimmy Carter, a man known for his sincere faith, asked Billy and Ruth Graham to the Oval Office and many White House events as guests and friends

• For Ronald Reagan, Billy Graham would pray with the president on the phone and by Mrs. Reagan’s side after her husband’s assassination attempt
• During the Gulf War, President George H. W. Bush spoke with Rev. Graham frequently for spiritual guidance
• Bill Clinton, who remembers being at a Billy Graham crusade as a child, spoke and prayed with the evangelist about several things, including his scandal with Monica Lewinski
• George W. Bush leaned upon Billy Graham throughout the 9/11 War on Terrorism, following a private moment in Maine when the minister’s witness changed his life.
• Rev. Graham invited Barack and Michelle Obama to his home in North Carolina for a personal vacation in 2010, becoming the first sitting president to do so.
• Lastly, during Donald Trump’s first term, Graham was joined by him and his wife, Melania, during Graham’s 95th birthday celebration.

Billy Graham: North Carolina’s “Favorite Son”

At the age of 31, Billy Graham and the U.S. Government were linked. At the time of his death in 2018, he was known as “Pastor to Presidents.” With only the aspiration to preach Christ crucified, Billy Graham was the first call this nation’s leaders made when facing crisis, personal or professional.

But his home and heart were always in North Carolina. The state’s General Assembly voted in a 2013 resolution that honored Billy and Ruth Graham, which named the minister “North Carolina’s favorite son.”

So much so that the seven-foot statue that will be unveiled at the Capitol Building on May 16 was even created by Charlotte-based artist Chas Fagan.

Following the 2013 resolution, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed House Bill 540 into law in 2015. At that time, a statue of Graham was commissioned to represent the state in the U.S. Capitol. The House Bill calling for the statue said, “There have been many great North Carolinians, but few have impacted the world more than Billy Graham.”

In 2024, that day comes to reality.

Noted in the news release from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, “members of the Graham family, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson, other congressional representatives, and the North Carolina Statuary Hall Committee, will be present for this event. There will also be special music from three-time Grammy-winner Michael W. Smith.”