KidzSearch Encyclopedia:Very good articles/Billy Graham
William Franklin Graham, Jr. (born November 7, 1918) better known as Billy Graham, is an Evangelical Christian and an evangelist. He is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has been a spiritual advisor to many U.S. presidents. Graham has preached in person to more people than anyone else who has ever lived. Until 2002, Graham's lifetime audience, with radio and television broadcasts, was more than two billion. Graham has met every United States President since Harry Truman. He has received many honors including the "Congressional Gold Medal" and the "Presidential Medal of Freedom".
Billy Graham was born on a dairy farm near Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the son of Morrow Coffey and William Franklin Graham. In 1933, Graham's father forced Graham and his sister Catherine to drink beer until they vomited. This made them hate alcohol for the rest of their lives. The Billy Graham Center says Graham was converted in 1934 during a revival meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, he did not become a member of a local youth group because he was "too worldly." He then went to see the local evangelist Mordecai Ham. After graduating from Sharon High School in May 1936, Graham went to Bob Jones College (now called Bob Jones University).