From the archives: The Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr.
Here's a selection of News & Advance archive photos spanning nearly 50 years in the life of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., founder of Liberty University.
June 23, 1958 - The article that accompanied this photo has not survived, but it is one of the earliest shots of The Rev. Jerry Falwell (right) in our files. At left is Bob Jones Jr.
Dec. 3, 1959 - A file portrait of the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr.
Jan. 26, 1963 - Sorting Caribbean Slides - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, left, and Lawrence Falwell are looking over slides taken during their recent tour of mission stations in the Caribbean.
Jan. 10, 1963 Original Text: Ready to take off -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell, left, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, and Lawrence W. Falwell are shown in a private plane today just before they took off for Miami, Fla., to join a group of pastors for a tour of missionary stations in the Caribbean.
Sept. 30, 1965 - Honorary Degree - Rev. Jerry Falwell, right, minister of Thomas Road Baptist Church, receives honorary doctorate of divinity degree from Homestead College of Bible in special service Wednesday night. Conferring degree is Arnold Y. Pent, left, president of the college's board of trustees.
May 21, 1966 Original text: Praise the lord and pass the cinderblocks -- The Rev. Jerry Falwell, in front of the line, lends a hand in passing cinderblocks while about 25 members of Thomas Road Baptist Church work today putting up a new Sunday School building at the church. Construction is being done at nights and on Sundays.
April 21, 1967 Original text: Private School Site -- Officials of proposed Lynchburg Christian Academy escort Richmond architect J. Henley Walker Jr., center, to school site. Walker has been hired as architectural consultant. Rev. Jerry Falwell, left, is president of Lynchburg Christian Academy Inc., and Dr. Pierre Guillermin is administrative consultant. Classes will be operated in 1967-68 at Thomas Road Baptist Church while school is under construction.
March 28, 1968 - A portrait of the Rev. Jerry Falwell.
Jan. 17, 1971 - Dr. and Mrs. Falwell and a group of 50 persons left last week for 10-day tour of Holy Land with pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church as tour leader.
June 26, 1972 - Homecoming - Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Doug Oldham joined the Rev. Falwell and others on the podium, while country-western singer Connie Smith performs. About 19,000 people attended the Thomas Road Baptist Church Homecoming Activities in Lynchburg Municipal stadium that year.
Dec. 21, 1972 - Original Text: First Shovelful -- Five men help turn the first shovelful of earth at groundbreaking ceremonies Wednesday at Montview Farm on Rt. 29 south of Lynchburg. Site of about 200 acres will house Thomas Road Baptist Church's new religious and educational complex of church sanctuary, Lynchburg Baptist College and part of Lynchburg Christian Academy. It is estimated to be a $15 million project. Shown are from left, Forest Bailey, architect with firm of Lyles, Bisett, Carlisle and Woff Associates; Percy Hall, chairman of church board of deacons; Dr. Jerry Falwell, church pastor; Dr. Elmer Towns, college vice president, and Sam Pate, business manager for organization. College dormitory construction begins immediately.
Dec. 10, 1975 - Banquet Speaker - Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr., I-Va., left, chats with Dr. Jerry Falwell and Mrs. Falwell on his arrival at Lynchburg Municipal Airport Tuesday night. Sen. Byrd was guest speaker at Liberty Baptist College's annual Christmas banquet held at Eagle Eyrie. Approximately 630 persons attended the event. Dr. Falwell is chancellor of LBC and pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church.
July 5, 1976 - Dr. Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and chancellor of Liberty Baptist College, stands in foreground Sunday during giant celebration at Liberty Mountain observing the nation's 200th birthday and the church's 20th anniversary. An estimated 20,000 persons attended.
Jan. 5, 1977 - Rev. Jerry Falwell
No information was found with this photo, but it shows from left, President Gerald Ford, Sen. Harry F. Byrd, Rev. Jerry Falwell, Macel Falwell, Calvin Falwell and Doris Falwell. The exact date is not known, but Gerald Ford served from the resignation of Richard Nixon in August of 1974 until 1977.
Aug. 25, 1978 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell dedicates LBC's Liberty Mountain campus before a throng of students and faculty. 2,200 students joined in a videotaped celebration of the financial 'miracle' Falwell says the campus represents.
June 1980 - The Rev Jerry Falwell clowns around with a Liberty security guard in this 1980 photo.
June 29, 1980 - The family of evangelist Jerry Falwell, from left, Jonathan, Jerry Jr., Macel and Jeannie.
1980: The Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., right, and Ronald Reagan.
October 2, 1980 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell gestures during keynote address to religious broadcasters. Evangelist said broadcasters group protects electronic ministers.
1980 Jerry Falwell Sr.
1980 - Rev. Jerry Falwell at prayer in his office.
June 1, 1982 Rev. Jerry Falwell gazes at the damaged WRVL tower.
Sept. 11, 1982 - The Rev. Falwell takes a call during services Sunday morning. (No clip accompanied this photo, and it was possibly never published.)
Dec. 5, 1984 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell is besieged by members of media outside Roanoke courtroom Tuesday. (This photo was taken during Falwell's landmark libel case against Larry Flynt over a parody ad that appeared in Hustler Magazine.)
Sept. 10, 1984 - Rev. Jerry Falwell jokes before ABC show. He showed soda can to Washington crew. (Falwell was in Lynchburg studio of WSET to participate in a Sunday talk show and paused to take a drink just before air time. Crew members in ABC studio in Washington were teasing him on his choice of beverage, so he showed them the can.)
1985 - File portrait of the Rev. Jerry Falwell
This undated file photo shows Jerry Falwell and wife Macel with then-Vice President George W. Bush and his wife Barbara at an event in Lynchburg in the 1980s. Bush visited Lynchburg at least once as vice president and at least once as president.
Aug. 31, 1985 - The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Jerry Falwell hold a press conference after a private meeting at Thomas Road Baptist Church.
May 28, 1986 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell and son Jerry Jr in front of the old homeplace. (This photo had no clipping and it is unclear if it was ever published.)
September 11, 1987 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell gives a new meaning to term 'backsliding' during fall from summit of slide. (During his involvement with Jim Bakker's PTL Club, Falwell had promised to take a slide down the water flume at the South Carolina Christian theme park Heritage USA in his blue suit if a certain fundraising goal was met.)
July 9, 1989 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., Macel Falwell, and Oliver North (then a candidate for the U.S. Senate) at the annual Liberty University Fourth of July rally.
May 12, 1990 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. with then-President George H.W. Bush at Liberty University commencement.
May 12, 2002 - Rev. Jerry Falwell hugs students at commencement.
September 26, 2004 - Rev. Jerry Falwell speaks at Liberty University's convocation featuring Rick Warren.
February 18, 2005 - Rev. Jerry Falwell, right, and his son Jerry Falwell Jr. inside the old Ericsson plant that turned into the new Thomas Road Baptist Church and parts of Liberty University including the indoor track.
August 11, 2005 - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, center, and his twin brother, Gene Falwell, left, blow out their candles celebrating their 72nd birthday while in the DeMoss Learning Center at Liberty University.
September 2, 2005 - Displaying his trademark sense of humor, Jerry Falwell poses with a North AMerican big-game collection, among the thousands of gifts received by the Falwell ministries over the years from benefactors. The big-game collection was donated by retired dentist Al Barrick.
May 13, 2006 - Sen. John McCain (left) and Rev. Jerry Falwell (right) during the commencement ceremony at Liberty University.
June 19, 2006 - Jerry Falwell in his office on the campus of Liberty University.
Rev. Jerry Falwell baptizes children during the last service at the current Thomas Road Baptist Church on Sunday June 25th, 2006.
Rev. Jerry Falwell addresses his congregation for the first time at the new Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va. on July 2, 2006. The opening of the church coincides with the 50th anniversary of the ministry.
Rev. Jerry Falwell and his wife Macel at the opening of Thomas Road Baptist Church on the 50th anniversary of the minstry on July 2, 2006 in Lynchburg, Va.
Macel and Jerry Falwell at the service for the opening of the new Thomas Road Baptist Church location on Candlers Mountain in 2006.
Macel and Jerry Falwell wait backstage before the start of the service for the opening of the new Thomas Road Baptist Church location on Candlers Mountain in 2006.
Jerry and Macel Falwell at the opening of the new Thomas Road Baptist Church in 2006.
Students Kim Henzler (left) and Katrina Williams look over the "Spirit Rock" after the girls painted it with words of rememberance for the Rev. Jerry Falwell on the campus of Liberty University on Tuesday May 15, 2007. On the other side of the rock the girls wrote "Fought the fight, finished the course, kept the faith."
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