The influence of North Carolinians

I came across a year-old-or-so issue of The Atlantic in our breakroom the other day, and I was immediately struck by the cover: a photo of Abraham Lincoln and the headline, "The 100 Most Influential Americans of All Time." After skimming it, I quickly realized that North Carolinians -- or even those with some (possibly tenuous) connection to the Old North State -- have been major players in influencing (a broad word, admittedly) the path of America.

You can view the entire list via the link above; below are how those with N.C. ties fared (and I may have missed a couple).

1. Abraham Lincoln (The Atlantic: "He saved the Union, freed the slaves, and presided over America’s second founding.") There is compelling evidence that Lincoln was not born in Kentucky, but in very western North Carolina (around Murphy, that is).

10. Woodrow Wilson ("He made the world safe for U.S. interventionism, if not for democracy.") Wilson spent a year at Davidson College and lived for a time in Wilmington.

13. James Madison ("He fathered the Constitution and wrote the Bill of Rights.") He also married North Carolina native Dolley Madison.

18. Andrew Jackson ("The first great populist: he found America a republic and left it a democracy.") No matter what the sandlappers say, Jackson was born in North Carolina.

23. Wright Brothers ("They got us all off the ground. ") Our license plates say it all.

50. James K. Polk ("This one-term president’s Mexican War landgrab gave us California, Texas, and the Southwest. ") Polk was born in the state and educated at UNC-Chapel Hill.

No. 2 on the list, George Washington, was an invester in the Great Dismal Swamp area of North Carolina, believing it to hold great development promise, even forming the Dismal Swamp Land Company in 1763. No. 31 on the list, Henry Clay, saw his presidential hopes plummet thanks to his "Raleigh Letter," written underneath a great oak in the City of Oaks. And George Herman "Babe" Ruth's first professional home run was hit in Fayetteville and he was known to fish and hunt in Eastern N.C.

The Atlantic also compiled a list of the Top Living Influentials; two Tar Heels made the list: Billy Graham (11) and Michael Jordan (14).

Ruth Graham: A 'beacon of spiritual truth'

The Asheville Citizen-Times has a wonderful spread on the passing of Ruth Bell Graham.

"Spiritual. Sensitive. Devoted. Loving. Funny.

"When talking about Ruth Bell Graham, who died Thursday at 87, the list of adjectives could go on and on," says the newspaper. "But it wouldn’t be complete without the word 'tough.' ...

"While she may be best known as the wife of world-famous evangelist Billy Graham, Ruth Graham, who was born June 10, 1920, more than made her own mark as an author, poet and beacon of spiritual strength.

" 'My wife Ruth was the person to whom I would go for spiritual guidance,' Billy Graham said Thursday, after his wife’s death. 'She was the only one in whom I completely confided. She was a great student of the Word of God. Her life was ruled by the Bible more than any individual I have ever known.'

Rev. Graham's legacy immortal

Perhaps no other North Carolinian has had the impact on the world as the Rev. Billy Graham. Heck, perhaps no other American has.

On Thursday, his library in Charlotte was dedicated. And it was quite the event.

Former President George H.W. Bush described the Rev. Billy Graham as “a spiritual gift to all of us” before "trembling in an uncharacteristic wave of emotion," according to the Asheville Citizen-Times, which ran a series of articles on Friday.

“We gather to celebrate the life and work of a man I do believe is America’s pastor,” Bush said.

Graham — using a walker and his son Franklin’s shoulder for stability — showed some of his old magic at the microphone in front of 1,500 invited guests gathered to dedicate a library in his honor.

“I feel like I’ve been to my own funeral, listening to all these speeches,” said Graham, 88. “I feel terribly small and humbled by it all.”

Graham and former Presidents Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter joined on a stage within the shadow of the $27 million library, which traces Graham’s path from farmer’s son to famous evangelist and friend to more than four decades of presidents.

About 200,000 people a year are expected to tour the Billy Graham Library after its opening Tuesday in Charlotte, where Graham was raised. It was built with the intention of carrying on his ministry.

The presidents on hand seemed to enjoy the event, according to the paper.

Former President Bill Clinton, in discussing being on stage with Jimmy Carter: “They used to say George Bush and I were an odd couple, but here, we may be the odd couple — two Southern Baptist Democrats.”

When Bush rose to speak, he looked at Clinton and said, “How quickly Clinton dumped me for Carter — did you notice that? We’ve traveled all over the world together, and we come to Charlotte and he dumps me. I don’t get it.”

The crowd roared.