Reagan: A Century Back. Biographies of Famous People in the 20th Century

Author: Mike Wallace
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-09-01
Features: Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois, U.S. In 1928, he enrolled at Eureka College to study economics and sociology, graduating in 1932 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and sociology. After graduation, Reagan worked as a sports announcer for five years on a radio station in Iowa. In 1937, he began his career as a film actor at Warner Bros. in Hollywood. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Air Force and returned to Hollywood after his discharge. From 1947 to 1952 and again from 1959 to 1960, he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild twice. In 1949, he was elected president of the Motion Picture Industry Council. Reagan was initially a member of the Democratic Party but switched to the Republican Party in 1962. From 1966 to 1974, he served as governor of California for two consecutive terms. In 1968 and 1976, he sought the Republican presidential nomination twice but was not successful. In 1969, he was elected president of the National Governors Association. On November 4, 1980, Reagan won the presidential election and was inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States on January 20, 1981. On November 4, 1984, he won re-election and served as the 41st President. In 1993, the U.S. government awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. On November 5, 1994, Reagan announced publicly via television that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and withdrew from American politics. On May 16, 2002, the U.S. Congress awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal. On February 6, 2004, the state of California designated Reagan's birthday as "Reagan Day." Reagan married Jane Wyman in 1940 and had one daughter, though they later divorced. In 1952, he married Nancy Davis, who was also working in Hollywood, and they had two children. From April 26 to May 1, 1984, Reagan made a state visit to China, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit China since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.