Billy Graham is an American evangelical Christian minister and evangelist. He is also the founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He has written many books on Christianity, including several best-sellers. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 7, 1918, Billy Graham was raised in a devoutly religious family. His father was a Baptist minister, and his mother was a devout Christian. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Bob Jones University, but he later transferred to the more liberal Wheaton College in Illinois. In 1940, Graham was ordained as a Baptist minister. He soon began holding revival meetings across the United States. His preaching style and message attracted huge crowds, and he quickly became one of the most popular evangelical ministers in America. In 1949, Graham held a series of revival meetings in Los Angeles, California. The meetings were so successful that they were turned into a weekly radio program, The Hour of Decision. The program was broadcast on hundreds of radio stations across America and reached millions of listeners. In 1950, Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) to support his evangelistic work. The BGEA soon began sponsoring crusades around the world. Graham preached to huge crowds in cities such as London, Paris, Manila, and New York City. In addition to his crusades, Graham also appeared on television and wrote a syndicated newspaper column. Graham's popularity continued to grow in the 1960s and 1970s. He met with several U.S. presidents, including Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. He also traveled to communist countries such as China and the Soviet Union to preach Christianity. In the 1980s and 1990s, Graham continued to preach around the world and write books about his Christian faith. In 2001, he retired from active ministry due to declining health. However, he continued to appear at occasional public events and offer spiritual guidance to world leaders. Billy Graham passed away on February 21, 2018, at the age of 99. At the time of his death, he was one of the most influential religious leaders in the world. His impact was felt not only by Christians but also by people of other faiths. He will be remembered as an outstanding preacher and evangelist who had a profound impact on millions of people around the world.