Jerry Falwell
Lynchburg Baptist pastor and televangelist who founded Liberty University and the Moral Majority.
Last updated
via Wikipedia: Jerry Falwell · see source
He co-founded Liberty University in 1971 and the Moral Majority political lobby during the 1980s.[1][2]
Last updated 2026-10-07 from the source article.
Life and work
Falwell and his twin brother Gene were born in Lynchburg, Virginia on August 11, 1933, to Helen Virginia and Carey Hezekiah Falwell.[3] Falwell married Macel Pate on April 12, 1958, and they had two sons and a daughter.[3][4] During the 1980s, the Moral Majority became one of the largest political lobbies for evangelical Christians in the U.S.[2] Liberty University was established in 1971 as a joint effort between Falwell and Elmer L. Towns.[1]
What the cited sources add
The same article noted that the video "The Clinton Chronicles" was co-financed, publicized, and distributed by Falwell.[5] According to the Liberty University "Founder" page, Falwell led missionary and humanitarian efforts in nations including the former Soviet Union.[4] The NBC News obituary stated that the Moral Majority claimed 6.5 million members and raised $69 million for conservative politicians in the 1980s.[6] The same obituary reported that Falwell dissolved the Moral Majority in 1989, saying its political aims had been achieved.[6]
A Salon article reported that Falwell secretly gave over $200,000 to people who were making accusations about President Clinton's personal behavior.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Jerry Falwell" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Chancellor Falwell announces Towns will step down for sabbatical – Liberty University", www.liberty.edu, August 28, 2013; "Liberty University" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Jerry Falwell" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Moral Majority Founder Jerry Falwell Dies", NBC News, May 15, 2007; J. Falwell 1997, p. 388 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Jerry Falwell" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Applebome, "Jerry Falwell, Leading Religious Conservative, Dies at 73", The New York Times, May 15, 2007; "Falwell, Jerry (1933–2007)"; "Personal Details for C. A. Beasley", FamilySearch.org; Applebome, "Jerry Falwell, Leading Religious Conservative, Dies at 73", The New York Times, May 15, 2007; Sherman, "Son of a Preacher Man", Condé Nast, January 24, 2022, p. 106; Applebome, "Jerry Falwell, Leading Religious Conservative, Dies at 73", The New York Times, May 15, 2007; Towns 2014; Sherman, "Son of a Preacher Man", Condé Nast, January 24 en.wikipedia.org
- "Founder", About Liberty. facts only, no text reused. liberty.edu
- The Falwell connection by Murray Waas Salon.com. facts only, no text reused. salon.com
- "Moral Majority Founder Jerry Falwell Dies", NBC News, May 15, 2007. facts only, no text reused. nbcnews.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Jerry Falwell (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Jerry Falwell (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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