Famed evangelist Billy Graham, known for leading millions upon millions of Americans back to the Christian faith after the cultural chaos of the mid-20th Century, will be honored in the United States Capitol by his home state, North Carolina, starting in mid-May 2024. North Carolina will honor him by sending a bronze statue of him to the Capitol, to be displayed in it, where two important, famous figures from each state are honored.
Such is what the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association announced in a press release, saying, “On Thursday, May 16, a statue of the late Rev. Billy Graham—representing the state of North Carolina—will be unveiled in the U.S. Capitol. The sculpture, created by Charlotte-based artist Chas Fagan, depicts Graham gesturing toward an open Bible in his hand. The seven-foot bronze statue stands on a pedestal engraved with verses from the Bible that highlight Graham’s lifelong commitment to sharing the Gospel.”
Continuing, the organization added, “Graham was named North Carolina’s “Favorite Son” by a unanimous vote of the state General Assembly in 2013. This set the stage for then-North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to sign House Bill 540 in to law in 2015, which decreed that a statue of Graham would be 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.'”
Speaking on the heartwarming matter, Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham and the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said, “This is a great honor and my father would be humbled and grateful.” He continued, “At the same time, he would not want the attention on himself but on God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Adding to that, Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina noted that much of what Billy Graham stood for we as Americans ought still stand for, and that great contribution can be honored through the erection of the statue. Sen. Budd said, “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.” He added, “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.”
National Statuary Hall, established in 1864, is a place where states can honor their best and most notable citizens. States were limited to two statues each in 1933; then, as the hall became more crowded, states were limited to one statue each in the hall and one each in other spots around the Capitol, namely the Crypt and the Capitol Visitor Center.
Featured image credit: By Paul M. Walsh – Billy and Franklin Graham, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4934708