Lt. Gov. Forest Calls For Rev. Graham Statue At U.S. Capitol

RALEIGH – Last week, North Carolina and the world lost one of the most inspiring individuals of the 20th century, Rev. Bill Graham. His casket has already been visited by dignitaries and former presidents, and will be placed in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol for visitors to pay their respects to a man that affected the world in a legendary way.

Now, among rhetorical battles over controversial Confederate statues on state and national grounds, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest is appealing to the architect of the U.S. Capitol to commission and erect a statue of Rev. Graham to honor his legacy.

“Reverend William Franklin “Billy” Graham, Jr., born November 7, 1918 in Charlotte, North Carolina, devoted his life to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving others across the globe.

Session Law 2015-269, enacted by our General Assembly April 6, 2015 and signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory, requests the Joint Committee of the Library of Congress to approve North Carolina’s request to replace the statue of Governor Charles B. Aycock in Statuary Hall with a statue of the Reverend Billy Graham.

Today, as Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina and President of the North Carolina Senate, I write to encourage you to approve North Carolina’s request to replace Governor Aycock’s statue with one of Rev. Graham.”

Replacing the Aycock statue should find no opposition from Democrats that have supported popular uproars over Confederate statues, or other exalted leaders that actually exuded White Supremacist views. Aycock, a Democrat, certainly qualifies in that regard.

Placing a statue of Rev. Graham in its place would be a testament to the real character of the Old North State and represent a monument as indelible as Graham’s laudable legacy.