Key events in the life of the Rev. Jerry Falwell:
Aug. 11, 1933: Born, along with twin brother Gene, to Carey and Helen Falwell in Lynchburg, Va.
1956: Starts Thomas Road Baptist Church; quickly moves into radio broadcasting, then into television with the “Old Time Gospel Hour.”
1971: Opens Lynchburg Baptist College, later Liberty University.
1979: Founds the Moral Majority.
1983: Listed by U.S. News & World Report as one of 25 most influential Americans.
1984: Sues Hustler magazine, charging his was libeled by an obscene parody. U.S. Supreme Court overturns $200,000 damage verdict for emotional distress in 1988.
1987: Leaves Moral Majority, takes over the Rev. Jim Bakker’s scandal-rocked PTL ministry for several months.
1989: Moral Majority disbands.
1990s: Grapples with dropoff in contributions, viewers stemming from the 1980s televangelism scandals.
2001: Suggests after the Sept. 11 attacks that feminists, gays, ACLU partly to blame. He later apologizes.
2004: Announces he will leave day-to-day operations of Liberty University, Thomas Road Baptist Church to sons Jerry and Jonathan, focus on new Faith and Values Coalition.
February-April 2005: Is hospitalized twice with serious heart, lung problems.
July 2006: Celebrates the 50th anniversary of Thomas Road Baptist Church.
May 15, 2007: Dies at age 73.
