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U.S. Presidents & Presidency: Reagan

A topic guide covering the Presidents of the United States. This is an ongoing project. As such, additional individuals will be added over time.

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 - 1989. The actor turned politician, started his political career as governor of California from 1967 - 1975.

Reagan died on June 5, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA. 

Internet Resources

Reference, Archives, & Primary Sources

Ronald Reagan: The Life and Legacy

Examine the life and times of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan. This eight-part series follows the amazing true story of a small-town boy from the Mid-West who rose from the shadows of an alcoholic father to become one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. From his humble beginnings as a radio announcer to the bright lights of Hollywood, discover the talented roots of the man who ushered in a new era of conservative politics. Remembered as "The Great Communicator", this series tracks the evolving years of Reagan's political career highlighting his time as Governor of California through his two-terms as Commander-in-Chief. This insightful series covers the most significant events of the Reagan administration's eight years in the White House covering his attempted assassination, Reagaonomics and the ending of the Cold War. Through historical footage and expert testimonies this extraordinary biography captures Reagan's accomplishments, hardships and patriotic spirit through his final-days suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Witness the fascinating story of one man's incredible ambitions that sparked a movement and marked a dynamic change in political history in - Ronald Reagan: The Life and Legacy.

Perspectives

Reagan

In his magisterial new biography, H. W. Brands brilliantly establishes Ronald Reagan as one of the two great presidents of the twentieth century, a true peer to Franklin Roosevelt. Reagan conveys with sweep and vigor how the confident force of Reagan s personality and the unwavering nature of his beliefs enabled him to engineer a conservative revolution in American politics and play a crucial role in ending communism in the Soviet Union. Reagan shut down the age of liberalism, Brands shows, and ushered in the age of Reagan, whose defining principles are still powerfully felt today. Reagan follows young Ronald Reagan as his ambition for ever larger stages compelled him to leave behind small-town Illinois to become first a radio announcer and then that quintessential public figure of modern America, a movie star. When his acting career stalled, his reinvention as the voice of The General Electric Theater on television made him an unlikely spokesman for corporate America. Then began Reagan s improbable political ascension, starting in the 1960s, when he was first elected governor of California, and culminating in his election in 1980 as president of the United Sta

The Reagan Diaries Unabridged

During his two terms as the fortieth president of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded, by hand, his innermost thoughts and observations on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day-to-day occurrences of his presidency. Now, nearly two decades after he left office, this remarkable record--the only daily presidential diary in American history--is available for the first time. Brought together in one volume and edited by historian Douglas Brinkley, The Reagan Diaries provides a striking insight into one of this nation's most important presidencies and sheds new light on the character of a true American leader. Whether he was in his White House residence study or aboard Air Force One, each night Reagan wrote about the events of his day, which often included his relationships with other world leaders Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Mohammar al-Qaddafi, and Margaret Thatcher, among others, and the unforgettable moments that defined the era--from his first inauguration to the end of the Cold War, the Iran hostage crisis to John Hinckley Jr.'s assassination attempt. The Reagan Diaries reveals more than just Reagan's political experiences: many entries are concerned with the president's private thoughts and feelings--his love and devotion for Nancy Reagan and their family, his belief in God and the power of prayer. Seldom before has the American public been given access to the unfiltered experiences and opinions of a president in his own words, from Reagan's description of near-drowning at the home of Hollywood friend Claudette Colbert to his determination to fight Fidel Castro at every turn and keep the Caribbean Sea from becoming a "Red Lake." To read these diaries--filled with Reagan's trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor--is to gain a unique understanding of one of the most beloved occupants of the Oval Office in our nation's history.

I Love You, Ronnie

No matter what else was going on in his life or where he was--traveling to make movies, at the White House, or sometimes just across the room--Ronald Reagan wrote letters to Nancy Reagan, to express his love, thoughts, and feelings, and to stay in touch. Through these extraordinary letters and reflections, the private character and life of an American president and his first lady are revealed. Nancy Reagan reflects with love and insight on the letters, on her husband, and on the many phases of their life together. A love story spanning half a century and the private life of this classic American couple come vividly alive in this rare and inspiring book.

The Attempt on Ronald Reagan

On 30 March 1981, as U.S. President Ronald Reagan was leaving the Washington Hilton Hotel, 25 year-old John Hinckley III fired six shots from a .22 revolver. One of the bullets missed Reagan’s heart by three inches. His famous quote to his wife was, “Honey, I forgot to duck.” One of his top aides was not so fortunate.

Source: AVON