Billy Graham’s home state has proposed that a likeness of the evangelist should be displayed at the U.S. Capitol.
“Graham transcends many of the divisions that break us apart as a state, and also Graham represents a time when it seems in retrospect that he was able to bridge … those divisions,” Billy Graham biographer Grant Wacker says. “In many ways, he’s a unifying figure.”
The North Carolina Senate unanimously voted to erect a statue of the reverend in place of the current statue of former Gov. Charles Aycock, who had ties with the white supremacy movement.
There are 100 statues currently on display in the U.S. Capitol, according to Architect of the Capitol.
“The National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol Building is comprised of statues donated by individual states to honor persons notable in their history,” the site reads.
Per congressional guidelines, Graham cannot be honored with a likeness in the hall until he dies.
The 96-year-old evangelist is perhaps best-known for his crusades that brought the gospel to 215 million people, according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
