Over the last two centuries, countless people have played a role in shaping American Bible Society’s story. From presidents to movie stars, these men and women have united around a common mission of sharing God’s Word with the world.

As we celebrate 200 years of sharing God’s Word, we want to highlight a few of these influential people and share their stories:

1. John Jay: Throughout his political career—which included a stint as the first Chief Justice of the United States—Jay held onto the belief that peace could only be achieved by sharing the Gospel. His convictions drove him to partner with Elias Boudinot, John Quincy Adams and other national leaders to establish American Bible Society in 1816. He served as the organization’s President from 1821-1828.
2. Helen Keller: A renowned author who was both deaf and blind, Keller held the Bible in high regard throughout her life. In her memoir, she wrote: “But how shall I speak of the glories I have since discovered in the Bible? For years I have read it with an ever-broadening sense of joy and inspiration; and I love it as I love no other book.”
   
   In 1931, American Bible Society presented Keller with a Braille Bible. She responded by giving American Bible Society her own Bible, which she had used for more than 20 years.
3. Roy Rogers: Rogers, an American singer and cowboy actor, teamed up with songwriter Dale Evans in 1952 to promote American Bible Society’s Christmas seal appeal letters. The campaign helped distribute millions of new Scripture resources to people around the world.
4. Dwight D. Eisenhower: During his term as the 37th President of the United States, Eisenhower received the 500 millionth copy of Scripture printed by American Bible Society. A decade later, in 1969, American Bible Society established a Bible fund in his memory.
5. Billy Graham: Since the mid-1940s, Graham, a celebrated author and minister, has conducted more than 400 Bible crusades in 185 countries. In 1965, he was elected an honorary member of American Bible Society for his dedication to sharing the Gospel. More than 40 years later, in 2006, he was the recipient of American Bible Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
6. Mariano Rivera: In 2004, Rivera, one of the most accomplished pitchers in baseball history, began actively speaking to the Hispanic community about the importance of Bible reading as part of American Bible Society’s La Biblia es mi Guía (The Bible is my Guide) campaign. In recognition of this work, American Bible Society honored Rivera during its Bible in Hispanic America gala in 2014.