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• Prominent evangelical Christian and Southern Baptist minister Billy Graham has counseled presidents over the years, from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.
• Graham got along with some presidents more than others.
• The influential minister was particularly close with Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush.
For many, Billy Graham was truly "America's Pastor."
He was certainly one of the most influential American evangelical Christians of the 20th century. He died February 21, 2018 at the age of 99.
The Southern Baptist minister earned this renown thanks to his highly influential preaching. He held massive rallies, and broadcast his sermons using a variety of media, including television, radio, and, eventually, webcasts. His religious zeal and embrace of mass media allowed him to shoot to international prominence in the late 1940s.
Given Graham's fame, it's not surprising that appeared to be a regular presence in the White House over the years. But his circle of connections wasn't limited to the United States. He met with heads of state and prominent individuals from around the world — even Queen Elizabeth II.
During his life, Graham broke boundaries, advocating for Civil Rights, befriending Martin Luther King Jr., and desegregating his "crusades." He also stirred controversy. When taped conversations between Graham and President Richard Nixon were released in 2002 and 2009, it was revealed the minister had made anti-Semitic statements.
Throughout his career, however, Graham exerted influence on the White House and beyond.
Here's a look at his history of rubbing shoulders with some of the most influential people in the world:
In 1950, 31-year-old Graham met with Harry Truman to talk about combatting communism in North Korea. But this first presidential encounter didn't end well. Graham shared details of the conversation with the press, and Truman severed their fledgling relationship.
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Source: Christian History Institute, "Billy Graham, God's Ambassador: A Celebration of His Life and Ministry"
But Graham got his second chance with Dwight Eisenhower, whom he helped craft an inaugural prayer. During the 1957 Little Rock Crisis, when African American students were prevented from attending Little Rock Central High School, Graham reportedly urged the president to intervene. In later years, the preacher and the president prayed together before the latter's death in 1968.
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Source: Politico, Charlotte Observer
Graham didn't just stick to American leaders. In 1955, he met Queen Elizabeth II — an event depicted on the Netflix show "The Crown." He delivered a sermon for her in the royal family's chapel on Easter Sunday. "She is unquestionably one of the best-informed people on world affairs I have ever met," he later wrote in his book "Just As I Am." In 2001, he was given an honorary knighthood.
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Source: Telegraph, The Washington Post, "Just As I Am,"The Telegraph
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