A SENATE RESOLUTION Designating Billy Graham a favorite son of north carolina.
Whereas, there have been many great North Carolinians, but few have impacted the world more than Billy Graham; and
Whereas, Billy Graham was born William Franklin Graham, Jr. on November 7, 1918, to William Franklin Graham and Morrow Coffey Graham and was reared on a dairy farm in Charlotte; and
Whereas, Billy Graham attended the Florida Bible Institute in 1937 and was ordained to the ministry in 1939 by a church in the Southern Baptist Convention; and
Whereas, Billy Graham graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois in 1943 and during that same year married college classmate, Ruth McCue Bell; and
Whereas, Billy Graham served as pastor of The Village Church in Western Springs, Illinois, from 1943 to 1945; as a member of Youth for Christ International, where he ministered to young people and military personnel from 1945 to 1950; and as President of Northwestern Schools, a liberal arts college, Bible school, and theological seminary, from 1947 to 1952; and
Whereas, after World War II, Billy Graham preached throughout the United States and Europe and attained international prominence as an evangelist through a series of crusades that began in 1949; and
Whereas, since 1950, Billy Graham has conducted his ministry through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), reaching multitudes of people by means of a weekly radio program, "Hour of Decision"; a newspaper column, "My Answer"; and televised crusades, articles published in "Decision" magazine, and evangelistic films produced and distributed by World Wide Pictures and now reaching millions through the BGEA Web site and the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte; and
Whereas, over the years, Billy Graham has preached to live audiences of nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories; and
Whereas, a renowned humanitarian and philanthropist, Billy Graham has tried to help those in need through his work with the World Emergency Relief Fund, which gives financial assistance to disaster victims, and the "Love in Action" committees, which collected and distributed food and clothing in BGEA crusade cities; and
Whereas, Billy Graham has received numerous awards and honorary degrees, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 1996, the North Carolina Award for Public Service in 1986, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1983; Honorary Knighthood (KBE) from Her Majesty the Queen of England in 2001 for his international contribution to civic and religious life over 60 years; and
Whereas, Billy Graham received the Big Brother of the Year Award in 1966 for his work on behalf of the welfare of children and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Freedom Award in 2000 for monumental and lasting contributions to the cause of freedom; and
Whereas, Billy Graham has opposed racial discrimination and, in the 1950s and 1960s, never held a segregated meeting but conducted fully integrated crusades; and
Whereas, Billy Graham was cited by the George Washington Carver Memorial Institute for his contributions to race relations in 1964 and was recognized by the Anti‑Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith in 1969 and the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1971 for his efforts to foster a better understanding among all faiths; and
Whereas, Billy Graham has counseled and advised presidents and world leaders and has participated in many historic occasions; and
Whereas, Billy Graham has written more than 25 books, all of which have become best sellers, including his book, "Just As I Am," an autobiography published in 1997; and
Whereas, Billy Graham has been named one of Gallup Poll's list of the "Ten Most Admired Men in the World" for an unprecedented 54 times, 48 of which have been in consecutive years; and
Whereas, admired and beloved by both Christians and non‑Christians, Billy Graham continues to inspire the world with his good works; and
Whereas, Billy Graham, having served our State and country as a faithful and fearless soldier of the cross, having carried the Gospel of Christ for more than 70 years throughout the world, is proud to call himself a Tar Heel and to make North Carolina his home; and
Whereas, Governor Michael F. Easley proclaimed October 29, 2002, as "The Reverend Billy Graham Appreciation Day"; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
SECTION 1.  The Senate honors the memory of the many North Carolinians who have made significant contributions to the State.
SECTION 2.  The Senate honors and names Billy Graham a Favorite Son of North Carolina.
SECTION 3.  The Senate urges the Department of Cultural Resources to establish a permanent exhibit of the life and ministry of Billy Graham in the Chronology Exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of History.
SECTION 4.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to Billy Graham and to the Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources.
SECTION 5.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.