4/11/1963
For more news conference recordings, see Collection 580
Restrictions
The BGEA retains the copyright to their materials and their permission is needed for quotation. BGEA permission is also required to copy photos, audio recordings, or films in this collection, as well as paper records in any restricted files. The Archives staff will provide the form needed to request copying permission. Paper records in files not otherwise restricted may be copied. For quotation permission, contact the BGEA at bgpermissions@bgea.org
Brief Description.
Tapes aof press conferences held by Billy Graham, usually in conjunction with
evanelistic meetings. Topics discussed cover a wide spectrum of theological, social,
political, and economic matters, both foreign and domestic. There are also transcripts
of interviews of Graham, a radio program on which Graham was criticized, and a
press conference held by Rachel Saint and several Huraoni Indians at the 1966
World Congress on Evangelism. There are restrictions on the use of this collection.
Series: News conference records
Subseries: A. Transcripts; B. Audio Tapes
Arrangement: Chronological
Date Range: 1963-1985
Volume: 2.67 cu feet (1.4 paper, 1.27 audio tapes)
Geographic coverage: United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
Germany, Hungary, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United
Kingdom, Yugoslavia
Type of documents: Transcripts of news conferences, audio recordings
of news conferences
Subjects: Evangelism, salvation, the Christian faith, BGEA
crusades, moral disorders ofcontemporary society, national politics (United
States), the civil rights movement in the United States, American presidents,
the Vietnam War, and abortion.
Notes: This collection contains transcripts and tapes of press
conferences held by Billy Graham and a few individual press interviews . There
are both transcripts and tapes for many of the conferences.
Series: News conference records
Subseries: A. Transcripts
Withdrawn by the BGEA June 2019
Series: News conference records
Subseries: B. Audio recordings
Arrangement: Chronological
Date Range: 1963-1985
Volume: 1.27
Type of documents: Audio tapes of news conferences
Notes: The contents of individual tapes are described in detail
in the location records. There is no clear indication on the tape containers
or the tapes as to who recorded these meetings, but they were probably done
by the BGEA staff. Here are detailed notes on the contents of some of the earlier
press conferences:
T1 - Columbus, Ohio. January 28, 1963. Billy Graham at Ohio State University.
Graham was in Columbus to talk to the student body of Ohio State University.
He spoke with reporters about the plans for the 1964 Columbus Crusade, his schedule,
the moral climate in American society (especially the campuses), the ecumenical
movement, the civil rights movement, the religious situation in Ohio, Billy
James Hargis, problems of mass evangelism, his impressions of South America,
and church-state relations. Minneapolis, Minnesota. April 11, 1963. Graham was
in Minneapolis to attend the opening of the renovated headquarters of the Billy
Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and the meeting of the finance committee
of the board of trustees of the BGEA. He talked about his schedule and answered
questions about BGEA finances, his health, the goals and purposes of the BGEA,
Sunday-closing laws, the civil rights movement, Pope John XXIII, and the international
situation.
T2 - Minneapolis, Minneapolis. April 15, 1963. Dedication service for the BGEA
headquarters. The dedication service for the renovated BGEA headquarters at
1300 Harmon Avenue. George Wilson, business manager, gave a historical sketch
of the Minneapolis headquarters and then Graham gave a message on the need of
the BGEA to help spread the Gospel.
T3 - Los Angeles, California. August 13, 1963. Graham talked about his Southern
California Crusade which was to begin August 15 and his first crusade in Los
Angeles in 1949 which brought him national attention. He answered questions
on the civil rights movement, the supreme court ruling on prayer in public schools,
Billy James Hargis, ideological competition between American and Communist nations,
the family, anti-intellectualism in America, and the nuclear proliferation treaty.
T4 - Miami, Florida. December 5, 1963. Graham was in Miami for the annual BGEA
retreat, known as the Team Meeting. He talked about the hotel in which he was
staying, owned by Harold Anderson, which was called a family hotel; John Kennedy's
assassination; the planned BGEA pavilion at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair;
spiritual problems of America; his plans for future crusades; the needs of American
college students; the 1963 Southern California Crusade; and the civil rights
movement.
T5 - Phoenix, Arizona. April 23, 1964. Graham, in Phoenix for a three-day crusade,
talked about his plans for 1964. He answered questions on the Becker Amendment
which aimed at "recognizing God in our national life," the civil rights movement,
his political ambitions, contemporary evangelism, dangers of the ecumenical
movement, the results of a crusade, how BGEA main headquarters came to be located
in Minneapolis, the morality of American ministers, the BGEA pavilion at the
1964-1965 New York World's Fair, Rev. Moore's drive to "revise textbooks which...teach
the theory of evolution as a fact."
T6 - San Diego, California. April 30, 1964. Graham was in California for the
San Diego County Crusade. He was introduced at the press conference by Richard
Blunt of the Crusade executive committee. Graham talked about his schedule,
the background of the San Diego Crusade, his hopes for the meetings, and his
support of the Becker Amendment. He answered questions about the Becker Amendment,
the problems of American young people, crusade procedures, churches in Communist
countries, the civil rights movement, American's need of the Gospel, Carl McIntire's
alleged claim that the National Council of Churches was infiltrated by communists,
the limitations of modern technology, the BGEA pavilion at the 1964-1965 New
York World's Fair, democracy, the growing feeling of revival in America, and
school prayer.
T7 - Columbus, Ohio. July 9, 1964. Graham was in Columbus for the Central Ohio
Crusade. He talked about the crusade--its goals and America's need for a spiritual
rebirth. He answered questions about the civil rights movement, big government
in America, the secularizing of America, possible presidential ambition, international
affairs and a talk he had with John Foster Dulles, changes in crusade methods,
juvenile delinquency, the common human dilemma, relations with the mass media,
his relations with his children, and the Christian life.
T17 - San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ca. March 17, 1967. Graham was in San Juan for
the start of the Puerto Rico Crusade. First he was introduced in Spanish and
English by Dr. Lazta and Mr. Santiago then he made a brief statement about his
1958 rally in San Juan and discussed the 1967 crusade, emphasizing that Roman
Catholics were invited and giving his personal testimony to Christ's influence
on his life. He also talked about his appreciation of Holiday Inn, reasons for
not commenting on the morality of the Vietnam conflict, his 1966 trip to Vietnam,
the world wide search for religious truth, the impossibility of finding God
intellectually. He then answered questions (reporters' questions are largely
inaudible) about Central Intelligence Agency contributions to his crusades,
the division in denominations between liberal and Evangelical theology, his
support for racial integration and the civil rights movement in the United States,
the percentage of attenders who come forward at a crusade, how to judge the
results of a crusade.
T12 - Great Americans Award press conference. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Atlanta,
GA. December 29, 1967. Graham introduced by Jim Stevenson. Graham answers questions
about the war in Vietnam, Cambodian invasion, antiwar movement in United States,
changes in the Roman Catholic church, abortion, modern evangelism methods, make-up
of BGEA evangelists, upcoming Sydney, Australia crusade, condition of American
society.
T13 - Continuation of tape T12. Graham talks about racism, upcoming presidential
election, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, sexual ethics, censorship.
T16 - Sydney. Australia. Ca. April 1, 1968. Graham was in Sydney for the start
of the Sydney Crusade. He was introduced by Bishop Clive Kerle and then answered
questions from the press about the 1968 Presidential election, Lyndon Johnson,
American attitudes toward the Vietnam conflict, the morality of the Vietnam
conflict, science and the Bible, the inspiration and reliability of the Bible,
race relations in the United States, the civil rights movement in the United
States, the finance of crusade evangelism, methods of evangelism, emotionalism
in evangelism, modern theology and refugees in Vietnam and the Middle East.
T15 - Soundtracks of two interviews Graham did for Australian television. April
3, 1968. The tape was possibly made from a television set as the interviews
were being broadcast. Graham answered questions about the size, finances and
nature of the BGEA, criticism of his use of guilt in preaching, meaning of Christ's
death, the fall of humankind, the nature of conversion, the connection between
blood and redemption, the work of the Holy Spirit, communicating the Gospel
to unbelievers, cooperating with unbelievers for social reform, conversations
with Karl Barth and Emil Brunner, automation in modern society, emotionalism
in evangelism meetings, the public relations operation of the BGEA.
T14 - Sydney Australia. April 28, 1968. Graham talks to a press conference about
the results of the Sydney crusade, people's response to evangelism, modern youth
and the church, critics of the crusade, the long range results of the crusade,
and the role of the Australian church in Southeast Asia.
T8 - Los Angeles, California. May 13, 1968. Graham was in Portland, Oregon prior
to the crusade in that city. This press conference was held shortly after Graham
returned from a crusade in Australia and just before to the beginning of the
Portland, Oregon, crusade. In his opening remarks, he discussed the time spent
in Australia, mentioned problems the Portland Crusade would face, and talked
about World Wide Pictures' productions. He also announced for the first time
his invitation to hold a crusade in Anaheim, California in 1969 and introduced
clergy and laymen with him who would be involved in planning that crusade. Graham
answered questions and commented on the poor people's march on Washington, D.C.,
led by black clergy; Martin Luther King's assassination; youth unrest, especially
in universities; contemporary morality; the 1968 Presidential election and his
personal relationships with the candidates (especially Nelson Rockefeller, Richard
Nixon, Hubert Humphrey, and Robert Kennedy); the Vietnam War and the Paris Peace
Talks; heart transplants; mass media's influence on morality; his retirement;
plans for a BGEA-funded university; Oral Roberts and Pentecostalism; crusade
follow-up; the World Council of Churches; the 1949 Los Angeles Crusade; Bishop
James Pike; and prophetess Jeanne Dixon.
T18 - Bonn, Germany. April 1, 1970. Graham was in Germany for the start of the
Euro 70 crusade in Dortmund. A good portion of the tape is taken up with comments
in German as well as translations of the reporters' questions and Graham's responses.
Graham began with a statement about the crusade being planned and went on to
answer questions about his relationship to the Roman Catholic church, the response
of young people to evangelistic efforts, supposed conflicts between the Bible
and science, the current crisis in organized churches, translations of the Bible,
the emotional appeal in his messages, the civil rights protest movement in the
United States and Graham's relationship to Martin Luther King, Jr.
T19 - Dortmund, Germany. April 2, 1970. Graham was in Germany for the start
of the Euro 70 crusade in Dortmund. A good portion of the tape is taken up with
translations of the reporters' questions and Graham's responses. Graham began
with a statement about the purpose of the crusade and then answered questions
about the hotel accommodations of the staff working on the crusade, efforts
to evangelize young people, the lasting results of evangelistic crusades, reasons
for people leaving the church, and the financial aspects of the BGEA,
T9 - Greenville, North Carolina. February 19, 1971. A press conference, held
at Furman University, in which Graham discusses the Jesus Movement, the musical
Jesus Christ Superstar, Nixon's attitude toward profanity, the "twilight of
Christianity," drugs, religion in contemporary music, witchcraft and Satan,
lasting converts of the crusades, his future plans, small private colleges and
their survival, Ireland and Ian Paisley, and religious interests of world leaders.
T20 - Press conference which Graham gave before delivering the lecture in the
Alfred M. Landon Series on Public Affairs at Kansas State University in Manhattan,
Kansas. March 4, 1974. Graham answered questions about Watergate and Richard
Nixon, conflict in the Middle East, campus activism, spiritual awakenings, his
health and plans for future crusades, the need for Christian evangelism, the
Biblical position on the status of women, the Vietnam War, the need for repentance
in America, the balance between evangelism and social action. Transcript is
in folder 3-24. The actual lecture is in Collection 74, T33.
T10 - Albany Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland. June, 1976. A press conference held when
Graham was passing through Scotland to evangelistic meetings in Germany. Introduction
by David McClagan. Graham says he feels at home in Israel, Scotland, and North
Carolina. Describes his past visits to Scotland and his plans to preach in Essen,
Germany on Whit Sunday. Speaks on terrorism, communicating the Gospel in the
modern world, modern morals, possibility of a crusade in Scotland, changes in
the Roman Catholic Church, Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions in the world,
spiritual awakening in the United States, Jimmy Carter and Charles Colson, the
Scottish National Party, religious conflicts in Lebanon and Ireland, spiritual
state of the world, television versus live evangelism.
T11 - Continuation of tape T10. Billy Graham answers questions about Christianity
and Marxism, Christianity in Latin America, the state of the Scottish church,
Norman Lear's suing network to retain control of programs.
T21 - Conversation of Graham with Governor James B. Hunt Jr. of North Carolina
someplace near Graham's home in Montreat, North Carolina. April 21, 1980. The
occasion of the conversation is not clear. Graham talks about the BGEA's radio
stations, his early days as an evangelist, Ruth Graham's upcoming trip to mainland
China and the attitude of the Chinese government toward the United States, the
prospects for peace in the world, the need for alternative forms of energy.
Reporters are also present and at the end of the tape Graham answers questions
from them about the causes of sin and war.
T22 - Very informal press conference of Billy Graham and local newspapers, at
the BGEA office in Montreat, North Carolina. April 21, 1980. He answers questions
about his health, his schedule, his avoidance of endorsements for political
candidates, his relations with presidents, his contacts with North Carolina
governor James Hunt, more about his health, the 1980 Lausanne Committee consultation
in Thailand, organization of the BGEA, threats to world peace, spiritual longings
of the human heart, his concentration on evangelism, his contacts with politicians.
| # | R/C | speed | length (min) | Sides | Contents | Dates |
| T1 | R | 3.75 | -- | 2 | Side 1. Press conference at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Graham was in Columbus to talk to the student body of Ohio State University. Side 2. Press conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. . | 1/28/1963 /
4/11/1963 |
| T2 | R | 7.5 | -- | 1 | Reel-to-reel, 7 ½. Dedication service for the BGEA headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | 4/15/1963 |
| T3 | R | 3.75 | -- | -- | Press conference in Los Angeles, CA. |
8/13/63 |
| T4 | R | 3.75 | -- | -- | Press conference in Miami, Florida. | 12/5/1963 |
| T5 | R | 3.75 | -- | -- | Press conference in Phoenix, Arizona. | 4/23/1964 |
| T6 | R | 3.75 | -- | -- | Press conference in San Diego, California. | 4/30/1964 |
| T7 | R | 3.75 | -- | 1 | Press conference in Columbus, Ohio. | 7/9/1964 |
| T23 | R | 3.75 | 34 | -- | Press conference in
Washington, D.C., announcing plans for a world congress on evangelism.
|
12/22/ 1964 |
| T24 | R | 3.75 | 48 | 1 | Rachael Saint and Huaorani
tribesmen from Ecuador Kimo and Kumi discuss the planting of a church among
the Huaorani after the murder of five missionaries in 1956. They are introduced
by George Cowan of Wycliffe Bible Translators. This press conference
was part of the 1966 World Congress on Evangelism. Transcript in folder
1-3. |
10/27/ 1966 |
| T25 | R | 3.75 | 60 | 1 | World Congress on Evangelism
press conference in Berlin, Germany, with Billy Graham and Carl Henry.
|
10/27/1966 |
| T26 | R | 3.75 | 59 | 1 | World Congress press
conference with Catholic and Jewish observers at the Congress.
|
11/1/ 1966 |
| T27 | R | 3.75 | 75 | 1 | Concluding World Congress
in Evangelism press conference, with Billy Graham and Carl Henry. |
11/3/ 1966 |
| T17 | R | 3.75 | 41 | 1 | Press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. | Ca. 3/17/1967 |
| T28 | R | 3.75 | -- | 1 | Press conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. | May, 1967 |
| T12 | R | 7.5 | -- | 1 | Great Americans Award press conference. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia. | 12/29/1967 |
| T13 | R | 7.5 | 17 | 1 | Continuation of tape T12. | 12/29/1967 |
| T16 | R | 3.75 | 61 | 1 | Press conference in Sydney. Australia. | Ca. 4/1/1968 |
| T15 | R | 3.75 | 38 | 1 | Soundtracks of two interviews Graham did for Australian television, apparently in Sydney, Australia. | 4/3/1968 |
| T31 | R | 7.5 | 16 | 1 | Billy Graham interview for the Australian broadcast program, Telescope. | 4/19/ 1968 |
| T14 | R | 3.75 | 11 | 1 | Press conference in Sydney Australia. | 4/23/1968 |
| T8 | R | 3.75 | -- | 2 | Press conference in Los Angeles, California. | 5/13/1968 |
| T35 | R | 3.75 | 59 | 1 | Press conference in Melbourne, Australia. | 3/11/ 1969 |
| T18 | R | 3.75 | 45 | 1 | Press conference in Bonn, Germany. | 4/1/1970 |
| T19 | R | 3.75 | 45 | 1 | Press conference in Dortmund, Germany. | 4/2/1970 |
| T9 | R | 7.5 | 25 | 1 | Press conference in Greenville, North Carolina. | 2/19/1971 |
| T41 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Chicago, Illinois. | 5/24/ 1971 |
| T42 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Oakland, California. | 6/25/ 1971 |
| T58 | C | -- | | 1 | Press conference in Durban, South Africa. | 3/17/ 1973 |
| T59 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Atlanta, Georgia. | 4/24/ 1973 |
| T61 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Seoul, Korea. | 5/26 1973 |
| T65 | C | -- | -- | 2 | Ruth Graham Message at Women's Prayer Breakfast / Ruth Graham Press Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. | 9/5/1973 |
| T20 | R | 3.75 | 22 | 1 | Press conference which Graham gave before delivering the lecture in the Alfred M. Landon Series on Public Affairs at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. | 3/4/1974 |
| T69 | C | | -- | 2 | Press conference about the upcoming International Congress on World Evangelization; Lausanne, Switzerland. | 3/29/ 1974 |
| T70 | C | | -- | 2 | Press conference about the upcoming International Congress on World Evangelization; Lausanne, Switzerland. | 3/29/ 1974 |
| T72 | C | -- | -- | 2 | Initial orientation session and press conference for the news media at the International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland. Warwick Olsen is the speaker. | Ca. July 16, 1974 |
| T73 | C | -- | -- | 1 | International Congress on World Evangelism press conference with Rene Padilla and Samuel Escobar. | July 22, 1974 |
| T74 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference and statement concerning President Ford's pardoning of President Nixon; Los Angeles, California. | 9/8/1974 |
| T76 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. | 9/30/ 1974 |
| T77 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in De Janeiro, Brazil; BGEA Team Breakfast. | 9/30/ 1974 |
| T81 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference at Texas Baptist Evangelism Conference; Fort Worth, Texas. | 1/13/ 1975 |
| T82 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. | 3/12/ 1975 |
| T107 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. | 1/30/1978 |
| T117 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Warsaw, Poland. | 10/16/ 1978 |
| T118 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in New York, New York after Poland visit. | 10/20/ 1978 |
| T121 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Singapore. | 12/2/1978 |
| T126 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference, Sydney, Australia. | 4/26/ 1979 |
| T127 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Sydney, Australia. | 5/20/ 1979 |
| T131 | C | -- | -- | 1 | Press conference in Chicago, Illinois. | 11/5/ 1979 |
| T22 | R | 7.5 | 25 | 1 | Very informal press conference of Billy Graham and local newspapers, at the BGEA office in Montreat, North Carolina. | 4/21/1980 |
| T150 | C | -- | 45 | 1 | Press conference on Radio Moscow, Soviet Union. | 5/10/ 1982 |