Q: What honor did President Ronald Reagan award Billy Graham?
A. The Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Thirty-three years ago, President Ronald Reagan awarded Billy Graham the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his “exceptional contributions to the United States on behalf of world peace.
During the 1983 presentation, Reagan said, “Billy Graham’s contribution to the well-being of mankind is literally immeasurable. Millions of lives across the globe have been enriched because of his good work. The world is a better place because of Billy Graham.”
In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Billy Graham recalled the moment:
“On February 23, 1983, (President Reagan) presented me with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor our government gives to an American, for service to the nation. I felt unworthy of the honor, and still do. But whatever else it means, it will always remind me of the generosity and friendship of a remarkable man and a warm and enduring personal friend, Ronald Wilson Reagan.”
