Post by M. Hawbaker on Nov 12, 2019 23:26:29 GMT
Billy Graham grew up as a dairy farmer's son in Charlotte, North Carolina, later settling his family two hours west in the mountains of Montreat. This pastor to 12 presidents preached to more than 215 million people worldwide, holding several crusades throughout his home state of North Carolina.
In 2013, North Carolina's General Assembly named Billy Graham "North Carolina's Favorite Son." Two years later, the state general assembly voted to have Billy Graham's statue placed in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall, and by last December, the North Carolina Statuary Hall Committee officially set these plans in motion.
Each state can have two statues placed in Statuary Hall, for a total of 100 statues throughout the U.S. Capitol, a meeting place for Congress. Other statues include George Washington, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Edison and Helen Keller.
Charlotte-based artist Chas Fagan, a self-taught sculptor and painter, will create the statue of Billy Graham. Fagan also sculpted the statue of President Reagan for the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
Charlotte-based artist Chas Fagan, a self-taught sculptor and painter, will create the statue of Billy Graham. Fagan also sculpted the statue of President Reagan for the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
