Ronald Reagan: The 40th President

Born February 6, 1911

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, in an apartment above a bakery. Few predicted this small-town boy would become a Hollywood actor, union leader, corporate spokesperson, and eventually the 40th President of the United States.

Hollywood to Sacramento

Reagan appeared in 53 films, becoming president of the Screen Actors Guild. Initially a Democrat, he shifted conservative, becoming a Republican in 1962. His 1964 speech ‘A Time for Choosing’ launched his political career, leading to two terms as California governor.

The Reagan Revolution

Elected president in 1980, Reagan promised to ‘get government off the backs of the people.’ He cut taxes, reduced regulations, and increased military spending. His sunny optimism—’It’s morning again in America’—resonated with voters weary of inflation and the Iran hostage crisis.

Cold War’s End

Reagan called the Soviet Union an ‘evil empire’ and proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative, dubbed ‘Star Wars.’ Yet he negotiated with Gorbachev, signing the INF Treaty eliminating intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Many credit his policies with hastening the Cold War’s conclusion.

Legacy and Controversy

Conservatives revere Reagan; critics cite rising inequality and the Iran-Contra affair. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1994, he died in 2004. On his 114th birthday, Reagan remains a transformative figure whose influence continues shaping American politics.