BGuthrie Photos: CA -- Simi Valley -- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum -- Inside

CA -- Simi Valley -- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum -- Inside:

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. REAGAN_110726_0001.JPG: Ronald Reagan was one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. He led a profound change in our world -- at home and abroad. His deep convictions, optimism, and determination continue to inspire millions of people around the world today.
2. REAGAN_110726_0014.JPG: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum is made possible by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. A longtime supporter and admirer of President Reagan, Mr. Reynolds' business acumen, coupled with a generous spirit, yielded a lifetime of philanthropy. His foundations strives to bestow gifts that will strengthen society and carry forth the legacy of Donald W. Reynolds. Donald W. Reynolds From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Donald W. Reynolds (1906 – 1993) was an American businessman and philanthropist. During his lifetime, he was best known for his involvement in the Donrey Media Group. ... He focused his business acumen on businesses located in small but growth-oriented communities, and these communities often were the recipients of the Foundation's earliest charitable grants. Reynolds died in 1993, and a large sum of money from his business ventures went to the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. There are currently a number of buildings named for Reynolds, including the Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the D. W. Reynolds building at Hendrix College, the Reynolds Center at Harding University, the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center at the University of Oklahoma, the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas, Donald W. Reynolds YMCA in Warren, Arkansas, the Donald W. Reynolds Alumni Center and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism, the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, the Donald W. Reynolds Center at the University of Tulsa, the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the Donald W. Reynolds Science Center at Henderson State University, the Donald W. Reynolds School of Architecture at Oklahoma State University, The Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR, the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture in Washington, DC., and the Donald W. Reynolds Emergency Shelter and Recreation building at the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter. [The Foundation also ponied up money for the new visitor center at Mount Vernon.] Donald Worthington Reynolds left three children on his death: Nancy, Donald and Jonathan. Forbes Magazine notes that Reynolds's three children will receive trust income of $ 50,000 a year for life, but will be left only $ 1 if they unsuccessfully contest his will. The bulk of the Estate was left to The Donald W Reynolds Foundation. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation continues his lengthy legacy of charitable giving with funding programs for capital grants, aging and quality of life, cardiovascular clinical research, and journalism.
3. REAGAN_110726_0019.JPG: "America's best days are yet to come. Our proudest moments are yet to be. Our most glorious achievements are just ahead." -- Ronald Reagan
4. REAGAN_110726_0031.JPG: "The story that will be told inside the walls... is the story not only of a presidency but of a movement -- a determined movement dedicated to the greatness of America and faith in its bedrock traditions: in the essential goodness of its people: in the essential soundness of its institutions: and, yes, faith in our very essence as a nation." -- Ronald Reagan
5. REAGAN_110726_0036.JPG: "I'm reminded of my parents' teachings... everything works out for the best and individuals determine their destiny through ambition and hard work." -- Ronald Reagan
6. REAGAN_110726_0039.JPG: The Foundations of a Leader Gallery was made possible by the generosity of Norma Douglas Zimdahl A great patriot who is committed to preserving traditional American values for future generations.
7. REAGAN_110726_0041.JPG: "There was no more grievous sin at our household than a racial slur or other evidence of racial intolerance." -- Ronald Reagan A Family's Heritage: Foundations of a Leader: Ronald Reagan's family roots reach back to England, Scotland, and Ireland. The values handed down to him -- commitment, fairness, and forgiveness -- were significant gifts from his predecessors. His father, Jack, passed along a fierce conviction that all people were created equal. On one sales trip, he was told he would like a hotel because it did not accept Jews. Jack Reagan was so offended that he slept in the car. Years later, when a local hotel barred two African American teammates on his college football team, young Ronald Reagan brought them to his parents' house, where he knew they would be welcome.
8. REAGAN_110726_0044.JPG: "This generous spirit is the backbone of our country -- Americans helping themselves and each other, reaching out and finding solutions... that governments and huge institutions can't find." -- Ronald Reagan Small Town Strengths: Foundations of a Leader: In Dixon and the other small towns of his youth, Ronald Reagan learned to admire self-reliance and energy. "Almost everybody knew one another," he recalled, "and because they knew one another, they tended to care about one another." In the 1930s, Ronald Reagan's father was laid off and found his next job in a story 200 miles away. His mother worked part-time in a dress shop, and still found time for volunteer work. Ronald Reagan and his father believed President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was dedicated to helping people just like them and as a result because lifelong admirers.
9. REAGAN_110726_0047.JPG: "By my senior year at Eureka, my secret dream to be an actor was firmly planted." -- Ronald Reagan A Well-Rounded Education: Foundations of a Leader: Ronald Reagan immersed himself into life at college -- and he proved to be an accomplished athlete, actor and leader. He sampled the full breadth of what education had to offer. During these formative years he was on the yearbook staff, elected to student government, a member of a fraternity, president of the drama club, and a regular cast member in school plays -- in addition to his year-round athletics. He graduated from Eureka College with a bachelor's degree in economics.
10. REAGAN_110726_0050.JPG: Captain Applejack: Ronald Reagan loved acting from a young age and won roles in school plays throughout high school and college. He is center stage in a tuxedo in this scene from "Captain Applejack," the school play in his senior year at Dixon High.
11. REAGAN_110726_0052.JPG: Drum Major Reagan: Ronald Reagan stands at the far left in the photograph of the Dixon YMCA marching band, 1921.
12. REAGAN_110726_0054.JPG: A Favorite Book: Ronald Reagan said the book "That Printer of Udell's" "made a lasting impression on me at about the age of 11 or 12." The spotless character of this book's hero left Ronald Reagan with "an abiding belief in the triumph of good over evil."
13. REAGAN_110726_0060.JPG: Ronald Reagan's First Speech: Foundations of a Leader: Ronald Reagan entered Eureka College during the Great Depression. The college president announced plans to cut certain classes and courses, lay off professors, and take other steps to save money. Ronald Reagan's classmate chose him to deliver a speech protesting the cuts and calling for a student strike, though he was only a freshman. He said, "Giving that speech -- my first -- was as exciting as any I ever gave. For the first time in my life I felt my words reach out and grab an audience, and it was exhilarating."
14. REAGAN_110726_0063.JPG: "I loved sports; I'd lettered in football in high school and college and loved just about every other sport there was." -- Ronald Reagan A Vigorous Life: Foundations of a Leader: Ronald Reagan loved athletics and the outdoors -- his physical energy and vitality were an important part of his success. As a boy, he swam in the Rock River and hiked hills and cliffs around Dixon. In high school, he had his heart set on playing football. But at 5'3" tall and 103 pounds as a freshman, he was too small to make the team. By his junior year, he had filled out and won a spot as a starter. At Eureka College, he excelled in football and swimming.
15. REAGAN_110726_0067.JPG: Foundations of a Leader "The Reagans... had little in material terms, but we were emotionally wealthy beyond imagination... young people in a young land with the best days ahead." -- Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan's early life in rural Illinois reveals lessons, beliefs, and personal strengths that guided him for the rest of his life. Examples of patriotism, generosity, determination and a sense of humor are easy to find in his childhood. The courage and values he showed as president were already visible in the young man.
16. REAGAN_110726_0070.JPG: "Nelle was quite a remarkable woman -- tiny in stature but with enormous optimism and a huge heart." -- Ronald Reagan The Reagans of Dixon: Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, on February 6, 1911. He grew up in nearby Dixon and considered it his hometown. He saw self-reliance and big dreams for a better future in his father, Jack. His mother, Nelle, taught him to believe that everything in life -- even setbacks -- happened for a purpose. "Jack had dreams," he later said. "Nelle had drive." The lessons Ronald Reagan learned from his family helped shape the rest of his life.
17. REAGAN_110726_0078.JPG: Brochure from WHO Radio: "Dutch" Reagan was the sports announcer at WHO radio in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1933 to 1937.
18. REAGAN_110726_0082.JPG: Dutch Reagan, Sportscaster: A dapper Ronald Reagan began as a sportscaster for WHO in the 1930s. The peak of his radio career coincided with the depths of the Great Depression. He sent money home to support his family.
19. REAGAN_110726_0085.JPG: "To say that I wanted to be a movie star would have been as eccentric as saying I wanted to go to the moon. But I had an idea to start in radio." -- Ronald Reagan Radio Days: Fresh out of college, Ronald Reagan landed a job in radio through an unusual audition. A program manager at WOC in Davenport, Iowa, hired him after he improvised the play-by-play commentary of an imaginary football game. The demands of live radio ultimately taught him to be nimble and creative with language and comfortable with evoking a scene in words. He soon moved to a larger station, WHO in Des Moines, Iowa, as the staff sports announcer. In the depths of Depression, he had steady work and a job he loved.
20. REAGAN_110726_0088.JPG: The Foundations of the Great Communicator Gallery was made possible by the generosity of GE In honor of President Reagan, who always believed America's best days lie ahead.
21. REAGAN_110726_0099.JPG: Nelle Reagan's Bible: At both of Ronald Reagan's presidential inaugurations, he placed his left hand on this Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. The Bible belonged to his mother and contains her handwritten notes inside.
22. REAGAN_110726_0102.JPG: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Handwritten note: A most wonderful verse, for the healing of the nation.
23. REAGAN_110726_0107.JPG: Off to Hollywood: Through high school an college, and his years in radio, Ronald Reagan never gave up his secret dream of becoming an actor. Radio eventually led him to Hollywood. As an announcer for the Chicago Cubs, he talked the team into bringing him along to spring training on Catalina Island, off the Southern California coast. In April 1937, an old acquaintance in Los Angeles introduced him to an agent, who helped arrange a screen test. A few days later, back in Iowa, he had a telegram offering him a contract with Warner Bros.
24. REAGAN_110726_0110.JPG: "To All My Friends" Advertisements like this made Ronald Reagan a familiar face to Americans in the 1950s.
25. REAGAN_110726_0119.JPG: Kings Row: Ronald Reagan believed his best performance was in the film "Kings Row." In the most powerful scene, he awakens from surgery to find that a sadistic surgeon has unnecessarily amputated his legs. He cries, "Where is the rest of me?" Years later, he used the phrase as the title of an autobiography.
26. REAGAN_110726_0125.JPG: A Young Family: Ronald Reagan and actress Jane Wyman were married in 1940 and divorced eight years later. They raised two children, Maureen (January 4, 1941 - August 8, 2001) and Michael, adopted soon after his birth on March 18, 1945. Personal Note: This is the only place in the entire library that mentions his first marriage.
27. REAGAN_110726_0130.JPG: Class A Membership: This card identified Ronald Reagan as a member of the Screen Actors Guild, making him the only US president to have been a member of a union.
28. REAGAN_110726_0138.JPG: George Gipp's Sweater: In 1940, Ronald Reagan starred as football player George Gipp in the film "Knute Rockne -- All American." For the rest of his life, one of Ronald Reagan's nicknames was "The Gipper." Two days before President Reagan left office in 1989, the football players, coach, and president of the University of Notre Dame gave him this letter sweater worn by George Gipp.
29. REAGAN_110726_0167.JPG: Certificate of Service: Captain Ronald Reagan was given this document when he left the US Army on December 9, 1945.
30. REAGAN_110726_0172.JPG: "I still believe Kings Row is the finest picture I ever appeared in." -- Ronald Reagan Hollywood Years: During his first 18 months in Hollywood, Ronald Reagan had small roles in 13 films. Ironically, his first role was as a radio announcer in Love Is On the Air. He lobbied hard for the part of George Gipp in the film Knute Rockne -- All-American, released in 1940. It became his best-known role and opened the door to more and better parts. The film also left him with the nickname "The Gipper," which followed him the rest of his life. He made over 50 films, and enjoyed enough success to buy a ranch and a home for his parents in California.
31. REAGAN_110726_0175.JPG: "I realized that America faced no more insidious threat to the Democratic freedoms we'd always taken for granted than communism." -- Ronald Reagan A Union Man: As President of the Screen Actors Guild -- the influential Hollywood labor union -- Ronald Reagan received an education in the struggle for power. After World War II, supporters of communism tried to expand their influence in Hollywood, in part by gaining control of unions. Ronald Reagan led the Screen Actors Guild in fighting communist influence. He endured threats of violence, leaving him with a lifelong dislike for the tactics of communism. But his work with studio heads and the bitter labor struggle helped develop invaluable leadership and negotiating skills.
32. REAGAN_110726_0179.JPG: Cold War Questions: As president of the Screen Actors Guild, Ronald Reagan was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee in the late 1940ss to testify about the influence of communism in Hollywood.
33. REAGAN_110726_0182.JPG: Celebrity Politics: Ronald Reagan supported Democratic presidential candidate Harry Truman in 1948. Actors Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall stand behind Ronald Reagan and Harry Truman on the podium.
34. REAGAN_110726_0185.JPG: Meeting Nancy Davis: "In the fall of 1949," Ronald Reagan recalled, "I received a phone call that was to change my life and enrich it forever." An actress named Nancy Davis asked him for help. She was worried about being confused with another actress of the same name who had a connection to communist front groups. They met for dinner to discuss the problem, and both claimed to have an early casting call in case the dinner didn't go well. They stayed out late into the night. Within a few months, they dated only each other, and they married on March 4, 1952.
35. REAGAN_110726_0188.JPG: The Governor of California Gallery was made possible by the generosity of Edison International In honor of the many achievements and contributions of President Ronald Reagan to the great State of California.
36. REAGAN_110726_0191.JPG: Governor of California "Our problems are many but our capacity to solve them is limitless." -- Ronald Reagan, January 3, 1966 In 1966, California faced serious problems: a huge budget deficit, the highest taxes in the nation, a frightening crime rate, air and water pollution, and exploding welfare costs. If experienced politicians had created this crisis, many people believed the state needed a new approach. Ronald Reagan won the governorship of California with a simple, consistent philosophy. He championed economic freedom, smaller government, fewer regulations, and lower taxes.
37. REAGAN_110726_0194.JPG: "I am not a politician. I am an ordinary citizen with a deep-seated belief that much of what troubles us has been brought about by politicians." -- Ronald Reagan Reagan for Governor: Ronald Reagan's famous speech on behalf of presidential candidate Barry Goldwater called "A Time for Choosing" persuaded a group of Californians to support him for governor. At first, Ronald Reagan resisted the call to run, but ultimately agreed to speak around the state to test the waters. The response of his audiences convinced him to put his convictions into action. He delivered the right message at the right time -- smaller government, lower taxes, fewer regulations, and greater economic freedom -- and won in a landslide.
38. REAGAN_110726_0197.JPG: Telephoning you to offer my congratulations has turned out to be an electronic impossibility so I resort to the old Morse Code to tell you how pleased I am over your successful experience at the polls. Barry Goldwater Congratulations Governor Reagan: Senator Barry Goldwater, Vice-President Hubert Humphrey, Senator George Romney, and other Americans across the political spectrum sent telegrams to Ronald Reagan congratulating him on becoming governor.
39. REAGAN_110726_0202.JPG: "Dear St. Valentine" Ronald Reagan gave this letter to Nancy Reagan in February 1977, but addressed it to St. Valentine. He asked St. Valentine "to whisper in her ear that someone loves her very much."
40. REAGAN_110726_0208.JPG: "If you ever start feeling sorry for yourself, try visiting hospitals." -- Ronald Reagan First Lady of California: Nancy Reagan thought she had married an actor, but Ronald Reagan's career path carried her with some reluctance into the public eye. As California's first lady, she was fair game for the press and her husband's political opponents. But she used her new role to help Californians. She visited hospitals and supported the Foster Grandparents Program. A special cause was helping wounded veterans and prisoners returning from the Vietnam War. The Reagans hosted four dinners for POWs, cherished the mementos given to them by the soldiers, and attended their reunions.
41. REAGAN_110726_0211.JPG: "I am going to talk of controversial things. I make no apology for this." -- Ronald Reagan, October 27, 1964 A Time for Choosing: In 1961, Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) heard Ronald Reagan deliver a speech at the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce as part of GE's national outreach. An alliance developed between the two men and eventually, Senator Goldwater asked the young Reagan to become California's manager for his 1964 presidential campaign. Hitting the campaign trail for Goldwater, Ronald Reagan developed a speech entitled, "A Time for Choosing," which was ultimately delivered on national television on October 27, 1964. Sometimes referred to as the "Rendezvous with Destiny Speech," it vaulted him to prominence and established his ability as an inspirational speaker and man of conservative ideas.
42. REAGAN_110726_0214.JPG: The Great Communicator: "America is less of a place than an idea, and if it is an idea, and I believe that to be true, it is an idea that has been deep in the souls of Man." -- Ronald Reagan, speech at William Woods College, June 1952 After college, Ronald Reagan matured from a young radio announcer into a movie star and a compelling speaker. By the 1960s, he had become a political thinker and leader demonstrating the powers of persuasion and deep convictions that would carry him to the governorship of California and beyond.
43. REAGAN_110726_0217.JPG: "From the start, our marriage was like an adolescent's dream of what a marriage should be. It was rich and full from the beginning and has gotten more so with each day." -- Ronald Reagan Nancy and Ronnie: "I don't know if it was exactly love at first sight," Nancy Reagan later recalled about first meeting her future husband, "but it was pretty close." In the months after they met, Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan developed a deep mutual devotion that never wavered. Nancy Davis Reagan soon asked to be released from her contract with MGM -- trading in a Hollywood career for a role as wife and mother. Patricia Ann Reagan and Ronald Prescott Reagan were born in the 1950s. Ronald Reagan took a new job in television, as the host of General Electric Theater.
44. REAGAN_110726_0222.JPG: Amalfi Valentine: From 1952 to 1957, Nancy and Ronald Reagan lived on Amalfi Drive in Pacific Palisades, California. When they moved, they left behind this concrete heart with their initials. Nearly 40 years later, the new owner of the house came upon the heart. He named it the Amalfi Valentine and returned it to Nancy Reagan.
45. REAGAN_110726_0228.JPG: Topper from the Reagans' Wedding Cake
46. REAGAN_110726_0236.JPG: "This certifies..." The marriage certificate of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis, dated March 4, 1952. Note that it's witnessed by William Holden.
47. REAGAN_110726_0240.JPG: "... it offered me the chance to share in the growing prosperity of television while avoiding the kind of typecasting [from] acting in the same role week after week." -- Ronald Reagan General Electric Theater: In 1954, General Electric offered Ronald Reagan a new opportunity. Despite some reservations about leaving movies for television, he agreed to host a new series that presented a drama, comedy, romance or adventure every week. Ronald Reagan remained the host for eight years and starred in several episodes. Nancy Reagan co-starred occasionally. General Electric Theater became one of the most popular shows on television, and brought the Reagan family financial security.
48. REAGAN_110726_0243.JPG: "He gave a speech... that just dropped them in the aisles... This is when I finally began to realize the breadth and depth of his knowledge and ability." -- Earl Dunkel, General Electric Public Relations Executive Meeting the People: Ronald Reagan didn't simply give speeches to General Electric employees around the country -- he met them one-on-one, listened to their ideas, and answered their questions. On his speaking tours, Ronald Reagan met more than 250,000 company employees. The experience only reinforced his respect for the energy and initiative of working people. When he stopped at a General Electric factory, he was also scheduled to speak to local groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. His speeches and ideas -- apart from his celebrity -- were attracting an audience.
49. REAGAN_110726_0246.JPG: Ronald Reagan M -- is for the Misery of which I have none. O -- means Only that without you I would die. M -- is for how very Much (when we're apart) I miss you. M -- if for the Million ways I love you. Y -- Yippie! I'm so happy. Take them all together and they spell NANCY My wife, my love, my life. Happy Mothers Day!! From an admirer (if you're curious, my name is at the top of the page.) + I'm on the next pillow over. Love Letters: Throughout their marriage, Ronald Reagan composed over 700 love letters, notes, and cards like these to Nancy Reagan.
50. REAGAN_110726_0251.JPG: "No barnstorming politician ever met the people on quite such a common footing." -- Ronald Reagan On the Road for General Electric: Traveling to factories across the country was part of Ronald Reagan's job for GE -- and served as a personal introduction to the American people. As a goodwill ambassador, he helped reinforce the links between headquarters and the sprawling company, visiting 139 factories in 39 states. Visits to the factories evolved into short talks before company employees, and he began to speak out on his favorite themes: the importance of taking initiative, the perils of big government, and the strength of private enterprise.
51. REAGAN_110726_0253.JPG: Mrs Ronald Reagan Powder down your lip stick. I am on the down hill side of Albuquerque I love you. Ronnie
52. REAGAN_110726_0256.JPG: Mrs Ronald Reagan Mrs Reagan if you are going to be home in the morning I wonder if I might drop in on account of I love you Mr. Reagan Telegrams: In addition to love letters and cards, Ronald Reagan often sent Nancy Reagan funny, affectionate telegrams during his travels across the country.
53. REAGAN_110726_0261.JPG: "I didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Party left me." -- Ronald Reagan, 1962 Lessons Learned: Ronald Reagan's years with General Electric were an invaluable apprenticeship in public speaking, political philosophy and understanding the American people. As he traveled and spoke for General Electric, he explored and strengthened his convictions and developed a coherent, consistent political philosophy that he championed for the rest of his life. Over these years, he lost his faith in the solutions of big government, campaigned for Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, and ultimately joined the Republican Party in 1962.
54. REAGAN_110726_0268.JPG: Reforming Welfare: When Ronald Reagan took office, California's welfare program was a huge burden on a financially strapped state. By 1971, the cost had reached $3 billion a year. Governor Reagan undertook a sweeping welfare reform plan. It stiffened penalties for fraud, removed some employed recipients from welfare, and required adult children to help support their parents on welfare, among other changes. By 1974, welfare caseloads dropped 20 percents, benefits rose 43 percent for residents with no income, welfare fraud dropped, and California saved hundreds of millions of dollars. "By tightening eligibility standards and eliminating loopholes, we turned a monthly increase in the welfare caseload of 40,000 into a monthly decrease of 8,000. No longer was California the welfare capital of the world." -- Ronald Reagan
55. REAGAN_110726_0271.JPG: Cutting Taxes, Shrinking Government: Governor Ronald Reagan inherited a state government with a deficit of more than $200 million. California law required a balanced budget, which compelled him to raise taxes in his first term. But he also imposed spending cuts, began a hiring freeze, and canceled many projects. By 1968, California had a $100 million surplus. In two years, Ronald Reagan eliminated state income taxes for the poorest families and reduced taxes on low-to-middle income wage earners. He returned $5.7 billion in taxes to Californians and slowed the growth of the state workforce by more than half. "During those eight years in Sacramento, I think we made the state government less costly, smaller, and more businesslike." -- Ronald Reagan
56. REAGAN_110726_0274.JPG: Supporting Education: One of the reasons Californians voted for Ronald Reagan was because they believed he would put a stop to the unrest on the state's college campuses in the 1960s. As governor, he tightened laws against unlawful assembly. He also suspended state financial support of students convicted of campus disturbances and called in the National Guard to quell unrest at the University of California, Berkeley. It is less well known that spending for education increased 89 percent during the Reagan administration, and aid to the university system rose more than 105 percent. "Anarchy in the name of academic freedom on the campus and on our streets will not be tolerated." -- Ronald Reagan
57. REAGAN_110726_0277.JPG: Protecting the Environment: As governor of California, Ronald Reagan had an admirable record of safeguarding the environment, to the surprise of some of his critics. Governor Reagan's administration added 145,000 acres of park land, more than any other modern California governor. He enforced new, tougher measures on air and water quality. He stopped plans for dams on two rivers, the Feather and the Eel, despite intense pressure from commercial interests and signed into law a bill to protect California's wild and scenic rivers. "Such a crossing would do irreparable harm to the wilderness beauty and wildlife of the area -- and... we simply don't need another highway." -- Ronald Reagan
58. REAGAN_110726_0280.JPG: "... We must develop geothermal energy, move forward on solar energy research and every other promising means of meeting our energy needs." -- Ronald Reagan, State of the Union address, January 9, 1974 Evolving Energy: An energy crisis plagued the nation during Ronald Reagan's governorship. He wrestled with issues of conservation, pollution, and many others. In the 21st century, California's governors face the same problems. Governor Reagan supported the construction of new nuclear power stations, and plants constructed in the late 1970s still generate electricity today. The search for clean, affordable electricity also led to the research and development of innovative energy technologies such as solar and wind power.
59. REAGAN_110726_0283.JPG: "Our problem is a permanent structure of government insulated from the thinking and wishes of the people... This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening." Keeping in Touch: After leaving the governor's office, Ronald Reagan wanted to stay in touch with the American people. From 1975 to 1979, he wrote and delivered more than 1,000 radio addresses to a weekly audience across the United States. His radio programs revealed that he was an original thinker, a talented writer and a compelling speaker. They ensured that he remained a force in the Republican Party, and more importantly kept his ideas, sense of humor, and vision for the future before the American people.
60. REAGAN_110726_0286.JPG: In the 1950s, Ronald Reagan began his private collection of inspiring, compelling, and even just entertaining quotes. These were drawn from such diverse figures as Greek playwright Aristophanes, Roman philosopher Cicero, President John Adams, and Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. To organize these quotes, Ronald Reagan copied out each one carefully in his own hand on index cards, and placed them in this album. Some of his favorite cards were stored casually wrapped with a rubber band and tossed into his briefcase. Over the next forty years, the ideas in this notebook became a valuable resource for his speeches, radio addresses, and letters. Many of his most famous quips and one-liners were inspired by these notes which also reflect the many sides of Ronald Reagan; is love for family, his commitment to democracy, his faith, his humor, and above all, his belief in self-expression. The wit and wisdom he showed in his speeches earned him the title "The Great Communicator."
61. REAGAN_110726_0293.JPG: In the 1950s, Ronald Reagan began his private collection of inspiring, compelling, and even just entertaining quotes. These were drawn from such diverse figures as Greek playwright Aristophanes, Roman philosopher Cicero, President John Adams, and Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. To organize these quotes, Ronald Reagan copied out each one carefully in his own hand on index cards, and placed them in this album. Some of his favorite cards were stored casually wrapped with a rubber band and tossed into his briefcase. Over the next forty years, the ideas in this notebook became a valuable resource for his speeches, radio addresses, and letters. Many of his most famous quips and one-liners were inspired by these notes which also reflect the many sides of Ronald Reagan; is love for family, his commitment to democracy, his faith, his humor, and above all, his belief in self-expression. The wit and wisdom he showed in his speeches earned him the title "The Great Communicator."
62. REAGAN_110726_0306.JPG: For President, 1976 Republican leaders around the country urged Ronald Reagan to challenge incumbent President Gerald Ford for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. Ronald Reagan's ideas for shrinking government, cutting taxes, and building a stronger military struck a chord with many audiences. Gerald Ford narrowly won the nomination, but Ronald Reagan won the hearts and minds of many voters. He delivered a stirring speech at the Republican convention in Kansas City, Missouri. His campaign in 1976 made him the presumptive Republican candidate for president in 1980.
63. REAGAN_110726_0314.JPG: "Americans... were trying to cope with the ruthless effects of double digit inflation, which was eating away at their savings, their paychecks and their way of life..." -- Ronald Reagan The Misery Index; On top of the political turmoil of the decade, Americans suffered from a stagnant economy and high inflation at the same time. This "stagflation" made homes, food, energy and other goods steadily more expensive as jobs disappeared. As one measure of the economy, an economist created the "Misery Index" -- the unemployment rate and inflation rate combined. During the 1970s, the index more than doubled to its highest point ever, almost 22 percent. Many Americans began to lose faith in the American dream. [Note: The Misery Index reached its lowest level since 1955 during Clinton's time. ]
64. REAGAN_110726_0317.JPG: "The crisis we face is not the... failure of the American spirit; it is a failure of our leaders to establish rational goals and give our people something to order their lives by." -- Ronald Reagan, November 1979 The Turbulent 1970s: After the upheavals of the 1960s, the nation suffered through another tumultuous decade in the 1970s. The US military retreated from South Vietnam. A bungled burglary unraveled into the Watergate affair and the resignation of President Richard Nixon. Some Americans began to fear that their government and military were inept, or worse, dishonorable. At home, Americans suffered through factory closures, high energy prices, gas lines, and a ten-year battle with inflation. In 1979, the Soviet Union brutality invaded Afghanistan, and Iranian radicals took 66 Americans hostage.
65. REAGAN_110726_0319.JPG: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
66. REAGAN_110726_0322.JPG: The Campaign, Victory, and Inauguration Gallery was made possible by the generosity of Mike Curb A successful music industry entrepreneur, songwriter, and public servant for over 50 years. California Chairman of Ronald Reagan's 1976 Presidential Campaign, Lieutenant Governor of California, and National Co-Chairman of Ronald Reagan's 1980 President Campaign. An inspiring composer of the 1980 Presidential Convention theme song, "Together A New Beginning." -- Mike Curb From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Michael Curb (born December 24, 1944, in Savannah, Georgia) is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr. He was acting governor of California while Brown spent time outside of California pursuing presidential ambitions. He is also the founder of Curb Records. Curb is of Mexican heritage.
67. REAGAN_110726_0325.JPG: A New Vision for America "More than anything else, I want my candidacy to unify our country; to renew the American spirit and sense of purpose." -- Ronald Reagan, July 17, 1980 Ronald Reagan's campaign, victory, and inauguration marked a profound change in American politics. On the campaign trail, he offered a new direction for the country. From the first day of his presidency, he began to implement his core philosophy of smaller government, lower taxes, and a strong national defense. And he continued his crusade to help Americans believe in themselves again. [Note: According to http://templatelab.com/total-government-employment-since-1962/ , Federal employment in 1980, the year of Reagan's first election, was 4,965,000. In 1989, the year he left office, it was 5,292,000.]
68. REAGAN_110726_0327.JPG: "I believed -- and intended to make it a theme of my campaign -- that America's greatest years were ahead of it." -- Ronald Reagan The Campaign Trail: Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for the presidency on November 13, 1979. Over the next eight months, he surged ahead of other Republican candidates including George HW Bush and Bob Dole to win the Republican nomination. Ronald Reagan focused on familiar themes during his campaign -- the economy, national defense, and hope for a brighter future. President Carter criticized Ronald Reagan's economic ideas, and claimed that he was too uninformed and reckless to be trusted with the presidency.
69. REAGAN_110726_0351.JPG: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" -- Ronald Reagan, Presidential Debate, October 28, 1980 The Great Debate: In the last week of October 1980, the presidential race was too close to call. The lone debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan on October 28th ranked among the most-watched television programs in a decade. Ronald Reagan gave a confident, relaxed performance that thwarted President Carter's attempts to portray him as a right-wing extremist. He deflected Jimmy Carter's criticism with the phrase, "There you go again." Almost overnight, a close race turned into a landslide. Ronald Reagan won the popular vote by 10 percentage points and took 44 of the 50 states.
70. REAGAN_110726_0356.JPG: A Famous Microphone: During the 1980 Republican primaries, Ronald Reagan's campaign paid for a debate with George HW Bush in New Hampshire on February 23rd. That night, four more candidates appeared at the hall. Ronald Reagan invited them to join the debate, George Bush disagreed, and the audience grew restless. The moderate tried to have the sound switched off, but Ronald Reagan said angrily, "I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Breem." The crowd cheered, the debate proceeded, and Ronald Reagan went on to win the New Hampshire primary.
71. REAGAN_110726_0360.JPG: Welcome Home: Islamic militants held American citizens hostage in Iran for 444 days -- until January 20, 1981. In this oil painting, artist Kartik Trivedi captured the joyous spirit of celebration when the former hostages visited the White House seven days later.
72. REAGAN_110726_0366.JPG: The First 70 Days: On his first day in office, President Reagan began putting his ideas about government and the economy into practice. To begin controlling the growth of government, he eliminated non-essential travel and cut the number of government consultants. Moving swiftly, the Reagan administration lifted all energy price controls, began dismantling the Council on Wage and Price Stability, and ordered federal agencies to free pending regulations for 60 days. "I am ordering today a strict freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees to be applied across the board in the executive branch." -- President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
73. REAGAN_110726_0369.JPG: January 20: The 52 American hostages still held in Iran are freed on Inauguration Day, January 20, a few minutes after President Ronald Reagan takes the oath of office. Upon their release, President Reagan fulfilled this promise and lit the tree on January 20, 1981.
74. REAGAN_110726_0372.JPG: Diary Entry: Tuesday, January 20: "The Inaugural (Jan. 20) was an emotional experience but then the very next day it was 'down to work.' The first few days were long and hard -- daily Cabinet meetings interspersed with sessions with Congressional leaders regarding our ec. plan." "I consider the trust that you have placed in me sacred, and I give you my sacred oath that I will do my utmost to justify your faith." -- President-Elect Ronald Reagan
75. REAGAN_110726_0380.JPG: Victory and Inauguration: Ronald Reagan's victory marked a profound change in American politics. Carrying 44 of 50 states, he attracted votes from many Democrats and Independents. He led Republicans to control the US Senate for the first time in 28 years, though Democrats still controlled the House of Representatives and would challenge many of his ideas throughout his presidency. The election marked the beginning of the "Reagan Revolution" -- based on freedom, economic opportunity, national pride, and global democracy.
76. REAGAN_110726_0383.JPG: Assassination Attempt: "Whatever happens now, I owe my life to God and will try to serve Him in every way I can." -- Ronald Reagan diary, March 1981 President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech at the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981, and walked outside about 2:25pm. An assassin's shots rang out. The assassination attempt was an agonizing ordeal for President and Mrs. Reagan, the other men wounded in the attack, and their families. Ultimately, it was a story of courage, reassurance, and inspiration as President Reagan returned to the White House.
77. REAGAN_110726_0387.JPG: "The next thing I knew, my brand-new pinstriped blue suit was being cut off me, never to be worn again." -- Ronald Reagan A Brush With Death: John Hinkley fired six shots in only a few seconds during the attempt on President Reagan's life. On hearing the shots, Secret Service agent Jerry Parr pushed President Reagan into the armored presidential limousine. But a bullet had ricocheted off the vehicle and struck the president. The flattened bullet hit a rib, passed through the president's lung, and stopped less than an inch from his heart. Although no one knew it at the time, President Reagan's condition was extremely grave as he entered the hospital. That day, he lost more than half his blood. March 30, 1981: Shots Fired -- At first, no one realized that President Reagan had been shot. But Secret Service agency Jerry Parr saw that the president was coughing up blood and directed his limousine to George Washington University Hospital, very likely saving the president's life. At the White House -- First Lady Nancy Reagan and White House aides James Baker and Edwin Meese rushed toe George Washington University Hospital. In the Situation Room -- Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, and other top advisers met. Secretary Weinberger ordered a military alert. Briefing the Nation -- In the White House Press Briefing Room, Secretary Haig announced "I'm in control here, in the White House, pending the return of the vice president and in close touch with him." Vice President Bush Arrives -- Four hours later, uncertain if the president would survive, the vice president arrived back in Washington from Texas. Successful Surgery -- Surgeons operated on President Reagan, and he regained consciousness only in the evening.
78. REAGAN_110726_0389.JPG: A New Blue Suit: President Reagan wore this blue suit for the first time on the day he was shot. At George Washington University Hospital, it was cut from his body as doctors searched for wounds. A bullet hole and traces of blood are visible.
79. REAGAN_110726_0395.JPG: X-Ray: This chest X-ray of President Reagan shows how close the bullet came to his heart.
80. REAGAN_110726_0400.JPG: Presidential Protection: This piece of bullet-resistant glass was used in the Presidential Limousine. One of the many security features overseen by the Secret Service, it is made of multiple layers of glass and plastic.
81. REAGAN_110726_0404.JPG: A Letter to Brezhnev: As Ronald Reagan recovered in the White House, he decided that the time has come to try to transform US relations with the Soviet Union. President Reagan composed this letter and sent it to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, trying to reassure him that the United States had no territorial ambitions around the world but would not ignore Soviet aggression. Brezhnev rejected President Reagan's attempts at personal diplomacy. But it was an approach the president would try again, with other Soviet leaders, with great success.
82. REAGAN_110726_0406.JPG: "There's Been a Shooting" At the White House, a Secret Service agent told Nancy Reagan that shots had been fired at the Hilton Hotel. He believed the president was unhurt, but she insisted on rushing to the hospital. On the way, she learned that her husband might have been shot. Mrs. Reagan insisted on seeing the president before he underwent surgery. "Honey," he said, "I forgot to duck." She refused to leave until she was sure the operation was a success, and remained with him every day as he recovered.
83. REAGAN_110726_0408.JPG: "I opened my eyes to find Nancy there. I pray I'll never face a day when she isn't there." -- Ronald Reagan Diary, April 1981 In the Hospital: President Reagan remained in George Washington University Hospital for twelve days. His wound was life-threatening, and he fought a persistent infection. The president's strong will and remarkable vitality helped him make a steady recovery. At the hospital and later the White House, he received an outpouring of good wishes from the nation in cards, gifts and prayers. His humor and good spirits helped give the nation hope. And he came to believe his life had been spared for a reason, to continue his work toward peace.
84. REAGAN_110726_0411.JPG: In the Line of Fire: In addition to President Reagan, three men were shot during the assassination attempt -- US Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy, Washington DC policeman Thomas Delahanty, and White House press secretary James Brady. Timothy McCarthy fully recovered from a bullet wound in his abdomen. Thomas Delahanty experienced permanent nerve damage in his left arm that ultimately forced his retirement from the police force. James Brady suffered partial paralysis and faced a lifelong struggle with other disabilities as a result of his wound. [Note: As of January 2012, all three of these folks are still alive.]
85. REAGAN_110726_0414.JPG: Red Sweater: With Mrs. Reagan and their daughter, Patti, at his side, President Reagan left George Washington University Hospital wearing this red sweater on April 11, 1981.
86. REAGAN_110726_0421.JPG: The Oval Office was made possible by the generosity of The Honorable Drew Lewis U.S. Secretary of Transportation (1981-1983) and Marilyn Lewis To honor the strong leadership and character of President Ronald W. Reagan. Andrew L. Lewis, Jr. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Andrew Lindsay Lewis, Jr. (born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 3, 1931) is a businessman who was Secretary of Transportation for part of the administration of United States President Ronald Reagan. He is widely known as Drew Lewis.
87. REAGAN_110726_0423.JPG: The Oval Office "On my desk in the Oval Office, there sits a plaque that says, 'It can be done.' It's a belief that I deeply hold true. -- Ronald Reagan, July 23, 1987 The Oval Office symbolizes the power, prestige, and solemn responsibilities of the presidency. In addition to a working office, the historic space is where presidents welcome foreign dignitaries and special guests. This room is an exact replica of the Oval Office during the second term of the Reagan presidency. The sculpture and other decor used here and throughout the West Wing reflected Ronald Reagan's love of the West.
88. REAGAN_110726_0438.JPG: Ceiling decoration
89. REAGAN_110726_0475.JPG: The White House Gallery was made possible by the generosity of the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation In honor of the Marriott lifetime commitment to liberty, freedom, democracy, and national pride. J. Willard Marriott From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Willard Marriott (September 17, 1900 – August 13, 1985) was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was the founder of the Marriott Corporation (which became Marriott International in 1993), the parent company of one of the world's largest hospitality, hotel chains, and food services companies. The Marriott company rose from a small root beer stand in Washington D.C. in 1927 to a chain of family restaurants by 1932, to his first motel in 1957. By the time he died, the Marriott company operated 1,400 restaurants and 143 hotels and resorts worldwide, including two theme parks, earned USD $4.5 billion in revenue annually with 154,600 employees. The company's interests even extended to a line of cruise ships and theme parks.
90. REAGAN_110726_0478.JPG: In the White House: "Welcome here to your house, which you're letting me live in for a while." -- Ronald Reagan The Executive Mansion located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC is a symbol above all else -- of the great power and responsibility of the president of the United States. But it is also an office building, tourist destination, landmark, national stage, and performance venue, as well as a home, retreat, and the headquarters of the leader of the free world.
91. REAGAN_110726_0485.JPG: The Reagan Diaries: Over eight years, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded his thoughts on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day-to-day occurrences of his presidency. These diaries demonstrate his trademark wit, political acumen, and human compassion, providing a unique insight into the character of a true American leader.
92. REAGAN_110726_0493.JPG: The White House Theater was made possible by the generosity of The Wasserman Foundation Lew Wasserman From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lewis Robert "Lew" Wasserman (March 22, 1913 – June 3, 2002) was an American talent agent and studio executive, sometimes credited with creating and later taking apart the studio system[dubious – discuss] in a career spanning more than six decades. He was also the manager of MCA for the Martin and Lewis comedy team.
93. REAGAN_110726_0502.JPG: I was impressed that people were on every one of these screens. I guess it was a good display!
94. REAGAN_110726_0508.JPG: "We Americans admire you and your government's dedication to preserve God's gifts of nature." -- Ronald Reagan, June 18, 1984 State Gifts: Gifts between heads of state are a time-honored part of international diplomacy -- an emblem of goodwill, even between the fiercest rivals. Presidents and first ladies accept state gifts on behalf of the American people, and the gifts remain the property of the federal government. Most state gifts are kept at presidential libraries, where they are protected and cared for under the auspices of the National Archives and Records Administration. President and Mrs. Reagan received almost 2,000 gifts from foreign leaders.
95. REAGAN_110726_0511.JPG: Porcelain Figure: Danielle Mirrerrand, First Lady of France, attended Liberty Weekend in July 1986, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. She continued the traditional exchange of gifts between France and the United States by presenting this Sevres ceramic sculpture.
96. REAGAN_110726_0517.JPG: Elephant: This elephant figure is made of rosewood and overlaid with silver and semiprecious stones. It was a gift Hema Premadasa, wife of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, who was one of thirty international first ladies invited to New York by Nancy Reagan for the United Nations First Ladies Conference on Drug Abuse in 1985.
97. REAGAN_110726_0524.JPG: Stallion: This Arabian stallion is silver with a gold mane and tail, and displays the royal crest of Jordan on the marble base. Given to President Reagan by the late King Hussein of Jordan during a meeting in December 1982.
98. REAGAN_110726_0533.JPG: Russian Lacquer: Lacquerware has been produced in Russia since 1721, and often portrays fairy tales or folk scenes. Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union, sent this plaque, "A Round Dance," following his historic meeting with President Reagan in Reykjavik, Iceland, on October 11-12, 1986.
99. REAGAN_110726_0538.JPG: "On my desk in the Oval Office, I have a little sign that says: There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit." -- Ronald Reagan, January 29, 1988 Ronald Reagan: A President's Day: The White House operator called to awaken President Reagan each morning about 7:30am. A typical day in the Oval Office began about 9:00am. The president usually met first with his chief of staff, the vice president and other advisors, and then received a national security briefing that finished about 10:00 am. From then on, a typical day was a tightly scheduled series of meetings and phone calls on a vast array of subjects. The president met with cabinet members, staff, foreign visitors, members of Congress, and many others. Executive Decisions: In order to come to a final decision on important matters, President Reagan often relied on the counsel of his senior advisors and Members of Congress. Here, he listens intently during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on November 1, 1983.
100. REAGAN_110726_0540.JPG: "Drugs take away the dream from every child's heart and replace it with a nightmare, and it's time we in America stand up and replace those dreams." -- Nancy Reagan "Just Say No": In 1982, a schoolgirl asked Nancy Reagan what to do if she was offered drugs. The first lady answered, "just say no," and her campaign against drug abuse had a new name. "Just Say No" and Nancy Reagan remain linked to this day. The first lady traveled nearly 250,000 miles across the United States and foreign countries to fight substance abuse. Her work included speeches, articles, television appearances and visits to rehabilitation centers. By 1988, more than 12,000 "Just Say No" clubs had been formed around the world.
101. REAGAN_110726_0542.JPG: "Just Say No" Baseball Bat: Major League Baseball presented this laser-cut "JUST SAY NO" bat to Nancy Reagan during game one of the 1988 World Series in Dodger Stadium, October 15, 1988. Rhinestone Pin: Red ribbons with the phrase "Just Say No" were everywhere in the 1980s, but jewelry and T-shirts, such as this rhinestone pin, also spelled out the famous phrase.
102. REAGAN_110726_0545.JPG: The First Lady Gallery was made possible by the generosity of Terry and Debbie Lanni and Family In honor of Nancy Reagan Terrence Lanni From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Joseph Terrence Lanni (March 14, 1943 – July 14, 2011) was the former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of MGM Mirage, one of the world's leading hotel and gaming companies headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. He joined MGM Grand, Inc. on June 1, 1995, as President & Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. In July 1995 he was named Chairman and CEO. In 2000, he oversaw the acquisition of Mirage Resorts by MGM Grand, Inc., which created MGM Mirage. He was a senior executive of Caesars World, Inc. for 18 years, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of that company from April 1981 to February 1995. Lanni joined Caesars World in January 1977 as Chief Financial Officer, was named Senior Vice President in April 1978, and elected Executive Vice President in December 1979. Prior to joining Caesars, he was Treasurer of Republic Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange-listed conglomerate based in California.
103. REAGAN_110726_0548.JPG: The First Lady "I threw myself into these various first lady roles -- spokeswoman, hostess, manager, and friend ... above everything else, the first lady is the president's wife." -- Nancy Reagan January 20, 1981, Nancy Reagan stepped into the role of the first lady and found herself immersed in the pressures and demands of the position. Overnight, she became the nation's hostess, the White House social director, and international ambassador, and a model for women across the country. Nancy Reagan was the president's closest confidante and staunchest defender. She also took on special causes of her own, including her campaign against drugs, "Just Say No."
104. REAGAN_110726_0554.JPG: Edith and Nancy: Nancy Davis Reagan was born Anne Francis Robbins on July 6, 1921. Her mother, Edith Luckett Robbins, gave her the nickname "Nancy." Her parents separated when she was an infant, and Edith Luckett pursued her career as an actress to support herself and her daughter. In 1929, Edith married surgeon Loyal Davis of Chicago, moved there with her daughter, and Nancy's family was at last complete. Nancy and her mother remained very close until Edith's death in October 1987 in Arizona.
105. REAGAN_110726_0557.JPG: Bronzed Baby Shoe
106. REAGAN_110726_0561.JPG: Field Hockey: As a member of her high school field hockey team at Girls Latin School in Chicago, Illinois, Nancy Davis is fourth from the left.
107. REAGAN_110726_0564.JPG: "I can't remember a time when I wasn't interested in the theater." -- Nancy Reagan A Career on Stage and Screen: Nancy Davis was born into an acting family -- her mother, Edith Luckett, supported herself and her daughter through her roles on stage. Nancy's interest in acting, like her future husband's, began in her childhood. She continued acting in high school and earned a degree in drama from Smith College. Nancy Davis acted on stage in New York and on television before signing a seven-year film contract with MGM in 1949. In 1952, she gladly traded her first career for a second, as Mrs. Ronald Reagan, wife and mother.
108. REAGAN_110726_0566.JPG: Under Contract with MGM: Nancy Davis appeared as Helen Lee, the socialite wife of a New York press baron, in the 1949 film, "East Side, West Side." A relative newcomer, Nancy was delighted to learn she would have the opportunity to play opposite the star Barbara Stanwyck in two scenes.
109. REAGAN_110726_0569.JPG: "Almost from the day I met him, Ronald Reagan has been the center of my life. I have been criticized for saying that, but it's true." -- Nancy Reagan A Love Story: Who knows where a love story will lead? From early in their relationship, Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan were deeply in love. For more than 50 years, friends, family, and even reporters remarked on their extraordinary devotion to each other. She left the Hollywood spotlight to marry Ronald Reagan and ultimately found herself on the world stage -- partly because her love and support helped her husband attain his great achievements. Their extraordinary personal bond helped sustain two lives of remarkable public accomplishments.
110. REAGAN_110726_0573.JPG: A First Lady's Passports: In her role as first lady of the United States, Mrs. Ronald Reagan was issued these diplomatic passports.
111. REAGAN_110726_0586.JPG: "With the exaggerated ups and downs of life at the White House, I found out what is really important to me -- I learned how to serve." -- Nancy Reagan Eight Years in the White House: After eight years, Nancy Reagan was a popular first lady when she left Washington. But few other first ladies endured the highs and lows that marked her time in the White House. Her public duties brought joys and sorrows -- helping children around the world and consoling the families of servicemen killed overseas. But Nancy Reagan also faced the attempted assassination of her husband, his two surgeries for cancer, her own breast cancer, and the deaths of both her parents. [Personal note: I have an issue with the first statement. Mamie Eisenhower had to endure nuclear war risks and her husband's heart attack. Jackie Kennedy had to endure JFK's assassination. Pat Nixon had to endure the whole impeachment thing. Lady Bird Johnson and Rosslyn Carter might have had relatively few ups and lows but I'd argue that Nancy's troubles were almost the norm, not the exception, for the 6 presidencies ending with Reagan's.]
112. REAGAN_110726_0588.JPG: Welcome Home: Nancy Reagan underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer in October 1987. Hundreds of friends and well-wishers gathered to welcome her home to the White House.
113. REAGAN_110726_0591.JPG: Evening Bag: Mother-of-pearl purse, gift of Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Republic of the Philippines, and his wife, Imelda Marcos.
114. REAGAN_110726_0594.JPG: "Ever first lady makes her own choices, and mine was to become very involved in planning White House events, right down to the details..." -- Nancy Reagan A Month with Nancy Reagan: On any day, planning, supervising, hosting, and traveling might take up much of Mrs. Reagan's time. In addition to state dinners, she presided over some 250 official White House functions during her husband's first term -- receptions, press events, and concerts, among others. She traveled hundreds of thousands of miles for her favorite causes -- Foster Grandparents and "Just Say No."
115. REAGAN_110726_0601.JPG: Gridiron Dinner Costume
116. REAGAN_110726_0606.JPG: Gridiron Dinner Costume: Early in the Reagan administration, the press criticized Nancy Reagan for perceived lavish expenses on clothes, china, and in redecorating the White House -- though no public funds were spent. After the Gridiron Dinner on March 27, 1982, many people's perception[s] of her changed overnight. Before an audience filled with journalists and politicians, she walked on stage in a mismatched outfit and feathered hat. To the tune of the "Secondhand Rose," she mocked the media's criticism in a song called "Secondhand Clothes." After this pivotal moment, the press was less critical of Mrs. Reagan's style. I'm wearing second hand clothes, Second hand clothes, They're quite the style In spring fashion shows Even my new trench coat with fur collar, Ronnie bought for 10 cents on the dollar, The china is the only thing that's new Even though they tell me that I'm no longer queen Did Ronnie have to buy me that new sewing machine Second hand clothes, Second hand clothes, I sure hope Ed Meese sews. [Personal note: Even though no public funds are appropriated, the groups that actually buy these things for the White House almost always get income tax deductions so taxpayers end up paying for it one way or the other.]
117. REAGAN_110726_0609.JPG: "Science has presented us with a hope called stem cell research, which may provide our scientists with answers that have so long been beyond our grasp." -- Nancy Reagan Stem Cell Research: Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1994. Nancy Reagan spent the next ten years caring for her husband. After his death, she spoke in support of stem cell research, which promises new hope for patients of Alzheimer's and other illnesses. Because some research relies in part on cells from human embryos, her position provoked opposition. In Mrs. Reagan's words, "I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this."
118. REAGAN_110726_0612.JPG: "The White House belongs to all Americans. It's supposed to be something we're proud of." -- Nancy Reagan Restoring National Treasures: In 1981, portions of the White House and Blair House, the President's official guest house, badly needed restoration. Mrs. Reagan led the effort to raise the necessary funds to preserve these national treasures. At the White House, doors, floors, and marble walls were refinished, while dozens of chairs, desks, tables, and mirrors were restored. The Blair House renovation was both structural and decorative, taking years to complete. Mrs. Reagan's priority was the preservation of these historical landmarks.
119. REAGAN_110726_0614.JPG: "Foster Grandparents benefits [sic] both sides; children who need love, and grandparents, elderly people, who need to feel wanted." -- Nancy Reagan Foster Grandparents: In the Foster Grandparents program, older Americans befriend children with disabilities. Nancy Reagan became interested in the program as First Lady of California. In February 1981, she taped a public service announcement for Foster Grandparents at the White House. As first lady, she traveled thousands of miles to bring support to the program. By 1985, the number of foster grandparents had grown from 782 to roughly 19,000, helping some 65,000 children.
120. REAGAN_110726_0617.JPG: Stem Cell Letter: Nancy Reagan believed strongly in the potential of stem cell research to cure diseases like juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. To that end, she was compelled to do whatever she could, including writing a letter to the President of the United States. -- Dear Mr. President, As you know, Ronnie recently celebrated his ninetieth birthday. In earlier times, we would have been able to share our mutual pride in a life filled with wonderful memories. Now, while I can draw strength from these memories, I do it alone as Ronnie struggles in a world unknown to me or the scientists who devote their lives to Alzheimer's research. Because of this, I am determined to do what I can to save others from this pain and anguish. I'm writing, therefore, to ask your help in supporting what appears to be the most promising path to a cure – stem cell research. I also know that this is not the first you have heard of this issue. And I know there are others who feel just as strongly in opposition to this. But I ask your help to ensure that this embryonic stem cell research, under appropriate guidelines, be protected as scientists pursue medical miracle possibilities. Ronnie was very brave in writing to the public about his condition. It was his way of sharing with the thousands of families who are already afflicted. He always believed in man's ability to make this a better world, and I know he would be gratified to know that his own suffering might spare others the same wrenching family journey. Mr. President, I have some personal experience regarding the many decisions you face each day. I do not want to add to that burden, but I'd be very grateful if you would take my thoughts and prayers into your consideration on this critical issue. Most sincerely, Nancy Reagan
121. REAGAN_110726_0623.JPG: With Michael J. Fox: Nancy Reagan speaks with actor Michael J. Fox at the 2004 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation awards. Mr. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, supports Mrs. Reagan in her advocacy of stem cell research.
122. REAGAN_110726_0625.JPG: Ronald Reagan Centennial Campaign major donors
123. REAGAN_110726_0628.JPG: Major donors include -- Jelly Belly Candy Company Rupert Murdoch
124. REAGAN_110726_0632.JPG: The Rebuilding America Gallery is dedicated by the Ranes family in memory of Raymond "Doc" Ranes Eureka College Class of 1926 An educator, committed to excellence, who did his best to help rebuild America.
125. REAGAN_110726_0635.JPG: Rebuilding America: "In 1981, no problem the country faces was more serious than our nation's economic crisis." -- Ronald Reagan The seven figures in this gallery represent millions of Americans who suffered through nearly a decade of economic hardship by 1981. President Reagan inherited a country in the midst of a disastrous recession, with sky-high interest rates, out-of-control inflation, massive unemployment, and other problems that tested America's resolve. He was determined to bring about recovery by liberating the native energy, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit of the American people.
126. REAGAN_110726_0647.JPG: "Two things that I'm proudest of. One is the economic recovery... The other is the recovery of our morale." -- Ronald Reagan, Farewell Address, January 11, 1989 Economic Recovery: Ronald Reagan's economic plan yielded remarkable results. The country experienced one of the longest peacetime expansions in history -- 96 straight months. Almost 20 million new jobs were created. Inflation was tamed and interest rates fell dramatically. The stock market nearly tripled in value. Americans saw their taxes cut by almost a third. With prosperity at home, President Reagan could focus on his lifelong mission to end communism abroad.
127. REAGAN_110726_0649.JPG: Give and Take: Every president takes calculated risks. A year after his administration's dramatic cuts in tax rates, President Reagan grew concerned about the rising federal deficits. He reluctantly agreed to the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, which raised some taxes. In return, Congress pledged three dollars in spending cuts for every dollar of the tax increase. Spending cuts on that scale never passed Congress, but new spending bills did, over President Reagan's veto. His inability to persuade Congress to rein in domestic spending was one of the president's chief regrets.
128. REAGAN_110726_0652.JPG: "Governments don't produce economic growth; people do." -- Ronald Reagan President Reagan's Economic Scorecard 1981 to 1989: * Inflation fell from 12.4% to 4.6% * Unemployment fell from 7.4% to 5.2% * Federal income -- tax the top individual taxpayer rate was cut by 50% to 28% * Mortgage interest rates dropped from 15.4% to 10.3% * Tax receipts -- total tax receipts doubled from $517 billion to $1,030 billion; income tax receipts rose from $347 billion to $549 billion * Stock market -- the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose from about 970 to 2,235 * Expansion -- the economy grew for 96 consecutive months
129. REAGAN_110726_0659.JPG: The Berlin Wall Gallery was made possible by the generosity of Jim and Mary Pattison In honor of Ronald Reagan who inspired freedom and changed the world. Jim Pattison From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James Allen "Jim" Pattison, OC, OBC (born October 1, 1928) is a Vancouver-based Canadian entrepreneur who is the president, managing director, chief executive officer, chairman and sole owner of the Jim Pattison Group, the third largest privately held company in Canada. With an estimated net worth of around $US 5.8 billion (as of March 2011), Pattison was ranked by Forbes as the 3rd wealthiest person in Canada and 173rd in the world.
130. REAGAN_110726_0661.JPG: Behind the Iron Curtain: "An iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe." -- British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, March 1946 The Iron Curtain took shape after World War II as a fortified border between nations of Eastern and Western Europe. But as an idea, the Iron Curtain stood for the profound division between communism and democracy, oppression and freedom. The Soviet Union dominated life on the eastern side of the border and enforced its brand of communism in its satellite states. Ronald Reagan took on the enormous challenge of bringing down the Iron Curtain.
131. REAGAN_110726_0670.JPG: "It is here in Berlin.... where the news photo and the television screen have imprinted this brutal division of a continent upon the mind of the world." -- Ronald Reagan, at the Berlin Wall, June 12, 1987 The Berlin Wall: In 1961, some 3.5 million East Germans -- almost 20 percent of the country's population -- had fled into West Berlin to escape East Germany's communist government. They fled religious persecution, the confiscation of their property, and political oppression. Many reunited with relatives in West Germany. To end this exodus, the East German army began construction of the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961. The wall stood for 28 years as the most visible icon of communist aggression.
132. REAGAN_110726_0671.JPG: "They preach the supremacy of the state, declare its omnipotence over individual man... they are the focus of evil in the modern world." -- Ronald Reagan, on the Soviet Union, March 8, 1983 Dictatorship: The idea that government exists to serve the people was turned upside down behind the Iron Curtain. The Soviet Union was an expansionist military dictatorship supported by the labor of its people. Freedoms taken for granted in the West -- freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and a free press -- were a cause for imprisonment or worse. Ronald Reagan declared repeatedly that the goal of Soviet communism was worldwide domination.
133. REAGAN_110726_0675.JPG: Briefcase: This briefcase concealed a decoder, used by the State Security Police, known as the Stasi.
134. REAGAN_110726_0681.JPG: Uniform: A general's uniform worn by East German border guards stationed at the Berlin Wall.
135. REAGAN_110726_0693.JPG: "[People] would stand in the square holding a banner that said they wanted freedom... After just two minutes, they would be arrested and blocked up for years." -- Harry Santos, former Stasi prisoner Secret Police: Behind the Iron Curtain, communist governments ruled in part through domestic terrorism -- informants, kidnappings, torture, murder, and imprisonment without trial. Secret police forces, such as the KGB in the Soviet Union and Stasi in East Germany, existed not to enforce the law but to maintain the power and control of the government. In East Germany, the secret police stood at the center of a network that included as many as one informant for roughly every seven citizens.
136. REAGAN_110726_0698.JPG: Straitjacket: In East Germany, political prisoners were sometimes confined in straitjackets.
137. REAGAN_110726_0720.JPG: "Can you think of a time when any family, thirsting for opportunity, left a democracy to live in a country that was not free?" -- Ronald Reagan, July 4, 1984 The Economics of Oppression: The economic system of the Soviet Union was the antithesis of free enterprise. Ronald Reagan held a deep faith in free enterprise and open markets, and he looked upon the Soviet system as an abomination. Workers were assigned jobs and quotas. Much of the fruits of their labors went to supporting the bureaucrats of the central government and Soviet military aggression abroad. Ronald Reagan also knew the state-controlled economy of the Soviet Union was simply inferior and could never keep up with the economic engine of the United States.
138. REAGAN_110726_0748.JPG: "The 1980s will place severe pressures upon the United States... We can expect to be tested in ways calculated... to erode our beliefs in ourselves." -- Ronald Reagan, 1979 Beyond the Iron Curtain: The long Cold War against communism was President Reagan's greatest challenge in foreign affairs. But he faced other dangerous international foes. The Islamic Revolution continued in the 1980s -- Ayatollah Khomeini ruled in Iran after Shah Reza Pahlavi fled the country. In Cuba, Fidel Castro tried to export his communist revolution to nations in Central America and Africa. The Middle East remained a volatile and violent region that has tested every American president since the end of World War II.
139. REAGAN_110726_0750.JPG: Ayatollah Kohmeini: Ayatollah Ruhollah Kohmeini, an Iraqi religious leader and politician, was imprisoned by his government and exiled in the 1960s. He led the overthrow of the Shah of Iran in 1979. Under a new constitution, he became Iran's supreme leader. Khomeini called for Islamic revolutions around the world. His government executed thousands of opponents of the new Islamic state of Iran.
140. REAGAN_110726_0755.JPG: Fidel Castro: Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and served as the nation's authoritarian ruler until 2008. He brutally transformed Cuba into a one-party communist state and became the Soviet Union's most important ally in the Americas. Castro's regime was marked by censorship, human rights abuses and political executions. For decades, Cuban troops and agents have fostered revolution and aided communist rebels in Africa, Central America and South America.
141. REAGAN_110726_0756.JPG: Yasser Arafat: As a young man, Yasser Arafat smuggled arms into Palestine and fought against the creation of Israel. In the 1950s, be became one of the leaders of the movement to create an independent Palestinian homeland, and in 1969 rose to the chairmanship of the Palestine Liberation Organization. For years, he supported deadly guerilla attacks into Israel from neighboring states.
142. REAGAN_110726_0759.JPG: Muammar Gaddhafi: In 1969, Muammar Gaddhafi led a coup in Libya, seized power, and installed himself as dictator. His regime sponsored rebel movements in other African nations and terrorist attacks across Europe and the Middle East. In the 1980s, he was among the principal financiers and exporters of terrorism around the world.
143. REAGAN_110726_0762.JPG: Hafez Assad: A leader of the Syrian military, Hafez Assad led a coup to seize the presidency in 1970. Nicknamed the "Butcher of Hama," he used a network of police and informants to support his authoritarian rule for 30 years. Syria remained a vicious foe of Israel and a haven for terrorists throughout most of Assad's rule.
144. REAGAN_110726_0765.JPG: Daniel Ortega: Daniel Ortega, a leader of the leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front in Nicaragua, overthrew Nicaraguan dictator Antonio Somoza in 1979. While serving as president from 1985 to 1990, he suspended the Nicaraguan constitution, curtained freedom of the press and violated human rights. During the 1980s, Ronald Reagan strongly opposed Ortega's attempts to spread communist revolution to other nations of Central America.
145. REAGAN_110726_0769.JPG: The Threat Theater Crisis Corridor was made possible by the generosity of Tom and Ruth Jones
146. REAGAN_110726_0804.JPG: A Blueprint for Ending the Cold War: On January 17, 1983, President Reagan issued National Security Decision Directive Number 75 (NSDD-75).; With this initiative, American policy toward the Soviet union moved beyond containment. In a clear break with the past, the US would resist Soviet expansionism around the world, promote change to weaken authoritarian rule in the Soviet Union, and negotiate agreements that served the mutual interests of both nations. NSDD-75 was arguably the most important foreign policy document of the Reagan presidency.
147. REAGAN_110726_0806.JPG: The Reagan Strategy: "As for the enemies of freedom... they will be reminded that peace is the highest aspiration of the American people. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it; we will not surrender for it -- now or ever." -- Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1981 Ronald Reagan came to the leadership of the free world with a new strategy for securing peace and transcending communism. His vision included: * Rebuilding America's military might * Fearlessly pointing out the evils of communism, promoting democracy, and reaffirming America's moral leadership on the international stage * Ending the policy of containment and supporting freedom fighters to roll back communism around the world * Protecting the American people through the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) * The reduction and eventual elimination of the threat of nuclear weapons through face-to-face diplomacy and improved communication.
148. REAGAN_110726_0810.JPG: Should the United States try to preserve detente with the Soviet Union? "The West will not contain Communism; it will transcend Communism. We will... dismiss it as a sad, bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages are even now being written." -- Ronald Reagan, May 17, 1981 Three previous presidents followed a policy of "detente" with the USSR -- a gradual relaxing of tensions, more trade, arms agreements, and frequent talks. President Reagan's approach was to expose the aims of the Soviets and describe their deeds in the plainest terms. He believed the Soviet Union had taken advantage of detente to build up its military and subvert governments around the world.
149. REAGAN_110726_0812.JPG: Peace Through Strength: "We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted." -- Ronald Reagan, Republication National Convention, July 18, 1980 Ronald Reagan entered the White House determined to restore the strength of the US military. He insisted on military might not for its own sake, but to discourage threats to American interests, defend freedom around the world, and bring the Soviet Union to the bargaining table. With unwavering purpose, he carried out a strategy not simply to contain communism, but to defeat it. He achieved this goal in many regions across the globe.
150. REAGAN_110726_0814.JPG: How could the United States stop a nuclear attack? "Our only purpose -- one all people share -- is to search for ways to reduce the danger of nuclear war... We are launching an effort which holds the promise of changing the course of human history." -- Ronald Reagan, on the Strategic Defense Initiative, March 23, 1983 Ronald Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) -- a defensive shield to destroy incoming nuclear warheads before they struck. For decades, the Soviet Union and the United States had relied on Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) -- each side held more than enough nuclear warheads to annihilate the other, so neither dared attack. SDI, he thought, offered hope for a better way. If it succeeded, referred to as a"Star Wars" with other nations, including the Soviet Union.
151. REAGAN_110726_0816.JPG: How could the United States fight Soviet expansionism? "We must not break faith with those who are risking their lives on every continent from Afghanistan to Nicaragua to defy Soviet-supported aggression... Support for freedom fighters is self-defense." -- Ronald Reagan, State of the Nation address, February 1985 President Reagan countered Soviet aggression by supporting freedom fighters in Central America, Africa, and elsewhere. The Soviet Union had long dominated Eastern Europe, and its avowed goal was to incite communist revolutions around the world. With Soviet support, Cuba had sent troops, advisers, and agents to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and other nations.
152. REAGAN_110726_0818.JPG: What role could diplomacy play? "We had to bargain with the Russians from strength not weakness. If you were going to approach the Russians with a dove of peace in one hand, you had to have a sword in the other." -- Ronald Reagan President Reagan believed he could make progress on issues that divided the United States and the Soviet Union if he could meet with Soviet leaders face to face. One goal of the US military buildup was to bring the Soviet Union to the negotiating table. President Reagan was convinced that the United States and the Soviet Union shared mutual interests, but he was interested only in agreements that benefited both parties and refused to compromise the safety of the US and its allies.
153. REAGAN_110726_0822.JPG: Four Summits: Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev transformed relations between the United States and the Soviet Union at four summits -- in Geneva, Switzerland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Washington, DC; and Moscow, USSR. Between November 1985 and May 1988, they signed the two historic treaties on exhibit in this gallery, negotiated dramatic reductions in nuclear arms, and began to bring the Cold War to an end. The INF Treaty: In the early 1980s, the Soviet Union had hundreds of intermediate-range nuclear missiles deployed in Eastern Europe. President Reagan offered the Soviets an option -- remove these missiles or the United States would deploy similar missiles. When the Soviets refused, the US began placing Pershing II missiles in Western Europe, despite fierce criticism at home and abroad. Faced with President Reagan's refusal to back down, the Soviet Union ultimately agreed to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and both sides dismantled their missiles. For the first time ever, an entire class of nuclear weapons was destroyed. Reagan and Gorbachev: The personal relationship that grew between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev helped to change the world. Despite the guidance of diplomats, experts and advisors, both leaders essentially relied on their own understanding of the issues to make progress in their talks. At times, their negotiations erupted into open anger. But both men were ultimately bold enough to trust each other, or as President Reagan said repeatedly, "trust but verify." "Looking back now, it's clear that there was a chemistry between Gorbachev and me that produced something very close to a friendship." -- Ronald Reagan
154. REAGAN_110726_0839.JPG: The Cold War Ends: At the close of the Moscow Summit, President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev issued a joint statement. It said in part that both nations were determined to prevent any war between them and disavowed "any intention to achieve military superiority." The next year, the Berlin Wall came down. The Soviet Union fell apart by the end of 1991. Ten years later, the United States had reduced its nuclear arsenals by 38 percent; Russia by 53 percent. After nearly five decades, the Cold War was over.
155. REAGAN_110726_0841.JPG: "A people free to choose will always choose peace." -- Ronald Reagan, Moscow State University, May 29, 1988 Moscow Summit: President and Mrs. Reagan arrived in Moscow on May 29, 1988. The main purpose of this summit was to sign the ratified INF agreement and make progress on the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks, which promised to set both nations on the path of eliminating 50 percent of their nuclear warheads. Arms reductions weren't the only achievements of the summits. Before President Reagan left office, the Soviets began to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and announced cuts in the conventional forces in Eastern Europe.
156. REAGAN_110726_0848.JPG: An Historic Treaty: The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was an historic milestone in Soviet-American relations. After years of negotiations, it was signed in 1987 and ratified the next year. By 1991, the two nations had destroyed almost 2,700 missiles. Mikhail Gorbachev signed this treaty with this pen.
157. REAGAN_110726_0851.JPG: Human Rights: From the first summit in Geneva, Ronald Reagan repeatedly brought up the issue of human rights. He spoke to Gorbachev privately and promised not to embarrass him by publicly pointing out specific human rights abuses in the Soviet Union. By the time of the Washington Summit, President Reagan's efforts had begun to bear fruit. Just four days before the summit, he noted, "In the last two years we've witnessed a loosening of the grip. Over 200 political prisoners have been released from the Gulag." ...
158. REAGAN_110726_0853.JPG: "For the first time in history, the language of 'arms control' has been replaced by 'arms reduction.' " -- Ronald Reagan Washington Summit: Before the Washington Summit began in December 1987, Mikhail Gorbachev announced that the Soviet Union would agree to eliminate intermediate and short-range missiles in Europe if the US and NATO would do the same -- with no conditions attached. The two nations agreed to destroy an entire class of nuclear missiles. As Ronald Reagan predicted, the Soviets had concluded that they could not compete in an arms race. Negotiations and arms reductioms were the only sensible option.
159. REAGAN_110726_0855.JPG: A Presidential Suit: President Reagan wore this suit when he delivered his famous "Tear Down This Wall" speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. At the Brandenburg Gate: On June 12, 1987, Ronald Reagan tested the strength of his new relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev. He was impatient with the slow progress of negotiations at the summits. He was particularly furious with what the Berlin Wall symbolized and all the suffering it had caused. Over the objections of some of his staff, he delivered a blistering indictment of totalitarian government and its cost to the human spirit.
160. REAGAN_110726_0863.JPG: The Brandenburg Gate Speech: These speech cards were used by President Reagan to deliver his message at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
161. REAGAN_110726_0868.JPG: The Reykjavik Summit is dedicated in memory of Ambassador L. Nicholas and Mrs. Nancy Ruwe For their contribution to freedom, democracy, and world peace. From http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/04/obituaries/l-nicholas-ruwe-ex-ambassador-56-assisted-presidents.html L. Nicholas Ruwe, Ex-Ambassador, 56; Assisted Presidents By ALFONSO A. NARVAEZ Published: May 04, 1990 L. Nicholas Ruwe, a former United States Ambassador to Iceland and a Republican Party stalwart, died of cancer on Wednesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He was 56 years old and lived in Washington. Mr. Ruwe served as Ambassador to Iceland from 1985 to October 1989 and helped settle disputes involving shipping and whaling. He was also responsible for the operation of the 1986 summit meeting between President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the Soviet leader. Upon his departure, the Government of Iceland awarded Mr. Ruwe its highest honor, the Order of the Falcon, with a star and a cross. Aide to Presidents: Mr. Ruwe (pronounced ROO-wee) was a senior staff member and a consultant to President Reagan's election campaigns. From 1980 to 1984, he was chief of staff in New York for former President Richard M. Nixon. He was assistant chief of protocol at the State Department from 1969 to 1975 and was responsible for the state funerals of former Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
162. REAGAN_110726_0871.JPG: The Soviets and SDI: Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative confounded the Soviet Union. Soviet scientists suspected the system would be extremely difficult and expensive to field. But they feared that it might be possible and could bring the United States a shield against nuclear missiles as well as a powerful first-strike capability and rationale. Mikhail Gorbachev tried repeatedly to persuade President Reagan to abandon SDI, without success. The unknowable effect of SDI ultimately helped convince Gorbachev to end the arms race and agree to reductions in nuclear weapons.
163. REAGAN_110726_0873.JPG: "I don't know what else I could have done." -- Mikhail Gorbachev "I do. You could have said yes." -- Ronald Reagan, at the Reykjavik Summit Reykjavik Summit: The Reykjavik Summit ended with no new agreements, but it was a crucial step toward peace. Both leaders explored the possibility of eliminating nuclear weapons, and Mikhail Gorbachev found he could not dissuade Ronald Reagan from his belief in the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). After dramatic progress, Gorbachev conditioned any agreement on ending SDI. Since SDI was purely a defensive weapon, Reagan urged him to reconsider and offered to share the technology. Gorbachev refused, and the president left the summit furious.
164. REAGAN_110726_0878.JPG: "This will help break down stereotypes, build friendships, and, frankly provide an alternative to propaganda." -- Ronald Reagan, November 21, 1985 Cultural Exchange: After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, President Carter ceased nearly all exchanges of scientists, academics, artists and students between the US and the USSR. Early in the Reagan administration, American and Soviet officials began exploring the restoration of these important contacts. At the Geneva Summit, Mikhail Gorbachev embraced the idea of renewed cultural exchanges, giving rise to an unprecedented level of interaction between the two superpowers.
165. REAGAN_110726_0880.JPG: "After almost five years, I'd met a Soviet leader I could talk to." -- Ronald Reagan Geneva Summit: Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met in Geneva, Switzerland on November 19, 1985. They talked about the US Strategic Defense Initiative, which troubled Gorbachev. They acknowledged the suspicion between both countries, the importance of developing trust, and the course ahead. They agreed to work for a 50 percent reduction in nuclear arms, the elimination of intermediate-range missiles in Europe, and more cultural and diplomatic exchanges. Above all, they gained each other's respect.
166. REAGAN_110726_0893.JPG: The Honoring American Heroes Gallery was made possible by the generosity of TriWest Healthcare Alliance In honor of those who sacrifice so much in service to their fellow man, including those who serve in the Armed Forces and the families who support them. TriWest Healthcare Alliance From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia TriWest Healthcare Alliance is a Phoenix, Arizona based corporation that manages health benefits under the United States Department of Defense (DoD) TRICARE program in the 21-state TRICARE West Region.
167. REAGAN_110726_0895.JPG: Always Remember: At 8:47am on September 11, 2001, Emergency Reporting System Box 8087 transmitted a call for help to Battalion 1 of the Fire Department of New York that an aircraft had crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Ultimately, thousands of New York City firefighters responded to the call to rescue victims trapped in the collapsing North and South Towers. When America was under attack by terrorists on this tragic day, 343 firefighters perished. From the rubble of the North Tower, this 14-foot structural beam was recovered. Weighing approximately 1,200 pounds, the beam is imprinted with "FDNY 343" representing those 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice.
168. REAGAN_110726_0903.JPG: Beyond the White House: "There's nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse." -- Ronald Reagan Throughout his life, Ronald Reagan loved the great outdoors. He bought his first ranch property in the 1940s, and over the years Nancy Reagan grew to enjoy the pace of life on the family's ranches. During their years in the White House, a trip to the ranch or a weekend at the presidential compound at Camp David gave President and Mrs. Reagan precious time together. Both retreats also gave Ronald Reagan a chance to enjoy one of his great passions -- riding a horse.
169. REAGAN_110726_0917.JPG: The Rancho Del Cielo and Camp David Gallery was made possible by the generosity of The Honorable Al Frink Assistant Secretary of Commerce (2004-2007) and Denise Frink In honor of Ronald Reagan who rode into our hearts and rekindled our belief in American exceptionalism.
170. REAGAN_110726_0927.JPG: After the Presidency: "As I walk off... a final word to the men and women of the Reagan revolution... We did it. We weren't just marking time. We made a difference." -- Ronald Reagan, Farewell Address to the Nation, January 17, 1989 After President and Mrs. Reagan left the White House, they cherished their time together in California. President Reagan also kept an active schedule of speeches and public events. Grateful world leaders wanted to honor President Reagan and invited him abroad. The onset of Alzheimer's disease ultimately robbed President Reagan of his greatest talents and ushered a celebrated statesman from the world stage.
171. REAGAN_110726_0929.JPG: A First Lady's Medal of Freedom: Nancy Reagan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2002.
172. REAGAN_110726_0934.JPG: The President of the United States of America Awards this Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction to Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan symbolizes all that is best in America. His is the story of a lifetime committed to individual freedom and liberty. As President, he enabled the American spirit of hope and optimism, faith and family. At home, he championed free enterprise over big government and presided over the longest peacetime economic boom in our Nation's history. Around the world, he burnished America's lamp of liberty so that those living in tyranny might secure freedom against the darkness. His steadfast belief in peace through strength consigned imperial communism to the ashheap of history. Ronald Reagan's courage and convictions changed America, and helped America change the world. America honors a man who has brought her great honor, the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. (George Bush) The White House Washington, DC January 13, 1993
173. REAGAN_110726_0937.JPG: Presidential Medal of Freedom: The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor awarded by the President of the United States. Ronald Reagan received the medal in 1993 from President George H.W. Bush.
174. REAGAN_110726_0943.JPG: Congressional Gold Medal: The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor the U.S. Congress can bestow on a civilian. On behalf of her husband and herself, Nancy Reagan accepted the medal on May 16, 2002.
175. REAGAN_110726_0947.JPG: Most Honourable Order of the Bath: Queen Elizabeth II conferred this honorary knighthood, the highest recognition Britain can give a foreigner, on President Ronald Reagan, June 14, 1989.
176. REAGAN_110726_0953.JPG: The Post Presidency Gallery was made possible by the generosity of Thea Stidum In honor of Ronald Reagan, a man of character, civility, and courage.
177. REAGAN_110726_0962.JPG: "The Sunset of My Life" On November 5, 1994, Ronald Reagan wrote this letter to the American people, revealing that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. My fellow Americans, I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Upon learning this news, Nancy and I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way. In the past, Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had cancer surgeries. We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness. We were happy that as a result many more people underwent testing. They were treated in early stages and able to return to normal, healthy lives. So now we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clear understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it. At the moment, I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life's journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters. Unfortunately, as Alzheimer's disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes, I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage. In closing, let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends. Sincerely, Ronald Reagan
178. REAGAN_110726_0970.JPG: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is the sole nonprofit organization created by President Reagan himself to carry out his work of inspiring freedom at home and abroad. He charged the foundation with continuing his legacy and sharing his principles -- individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. The foundation helps to sustain the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, and operates the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center, the internationally recognized, award-winning Discovery Center and Air Force One Pavilion. Just as President Reagan would have it, his foundation receives no government funding and relies solely on private donations for its support.
179. REAGAN_110726_0972.JPG: The Reagan Library: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum was dedicated on November 4, 1991. The original Library was built entirely with private donations. For the first time ever, five U.S. presidents came together for this historic event. Presidents George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, their first ladies, and Lady Bird Johnson, attended. It has served thousands of researchers and millions of visitors. The Library has over 60 million pages of documents, 1.6 million photographs, tens of thousands of audio and video tapes, and over 62,000 artifacts. Los Angeles Times: Reagan library items likely lost or pilfered November 08, 2007 Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Catherine Saillant, Times Staff Writers WASHINGTON -- The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is unable to find or account for tens of thousands of valuable mementos of Reagan's White House years because a "near universal" security breakdown left the artifacts vulnerable to pilfering by insiders, an audit by the National Archives inspector general has concluded. Inspector General Paul Brachfeld said that his office was investigating allegations that a former employee stole Reagan memorabilia but that the probe had been hampered by the facility's sloppy record-keeping. "We have been told by sources that a person who had access capability removed holdings," Brachfeld said in an interview. "But we can't lock in as to what those may be." The hilltop complex near Simi Valley that houses Reagan's papers -- as well as the Air Force One that served as the "Flying White House" for seven presidents -- is the most visited of the nation's 12 presidential libraries. Many of those facilities are understaffed. And many are struggling to keep track of hundreds of thousands of presidential gifts, including valuable objects bestowed by foreign leaders, American folk crafts, and T-shirts and political buttons. But, investigators said, they encountered the most serious problems at the Reagan library, a finding that may mortify fans of the late president, who often inveighed against government inefficiency. About six months ago, an archivist was accused of stealing from the collections and was fired, said a longtime volunteer at the library who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal. "It's just awful," she said. "He was someone in a position of trust." Of particular interest is whether the artifacts that are unaccounted for include pieces from a large collection of ornamented Western belt buckles given to Reagan over the years by admirers who knew of his attachment to his ranch. A National Archives spokeswoman said the agency had accepted the audit's criticisms and was working to fix the problems. Some library volunteers say they were called in this summer to start a massive inventory project that could take years to complete. The theft of historical objects from library collections has become a serious problem across the country in recent years. Against that background, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) pushed for the audit of presidential libraries. He feared that artifacts associated with former presidents might attract thieves seeking to supply a burgeoning market for memorabilia. "This report is a wake-up," Grassley said. "These papers, records and other items have historical value and should be safeguarded for the education and benefit of future generations of Americans." Most gifts to presidents become property of the American people, and presidential libraries use them to tell a story in ways that documents alone cannot. The gifts are considered part of the libraries' museum collections. The Reagan library, for example, has displayed some of the belt buckles given to the former president, and an exhibit of First Lady Nancy Reagan's dresses and suits will be staged this week. The audit found that the Reagan library was unable to properly account for more than 80,000 artifacts out of its collection of some 100,000 such items, and "may have experienced loss or pilferage the scope of which will likely never be known." The above was from http://articles.latimes.com/2007/nov/08/nation/na-reagan8
180. REAGAN_110726_0974.JPG: Presidential Libraries: The records that document a president's administration belong to the people of the United States. These materials are preserved in a national system of presidential libraries, including this one, administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. As of 2010, 13 presidential libraries preserve and make accessible the historical materials of every U.S. president since Herbert Hoover. Each library includes an extensive archive where documents, photographs, film and presidential gifts, the raw materials of history, are safeguarded.
181. REAGAN_110726_0976.JPG: Mourning Ronald Reagan: "We have one beacon to guide us that Ronald Reagan never had. We have his example. Let us give thanks today for a life that achieved so much for all of God's children." -- Margaret Thatcher, Eulogy for Ronald Reagan, June 11, 2004 Ronald Wilson Reagan died on Saturday, June 5, 2004, with his wife and family at his side. President George W. Bush declared June 11, 2004, a national day of mourning. People left flowers, American flags, and other symbols of their grief at U.S. embassies around the world, Ronald Reagan's birthplace, his college, and his presidential library. Condolences poured in from around the globe, from kings and queens as well as ordinary citizens.
182. REAGAN_110726_0978.JPG: The Last Journey Begins: After President Reagan's death, the American people had two opportunities to pay their respects in person. From midday on June 7, 2004 until 6pm on June 8, his casket lay in repose at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Almost 120,000 people filed past. The next day, the president's casket was flown to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and driven by motorcade to the Ellipse near the White House in Washington DC, where a horse-drawn caisson brought it to the US Capitol.
183. REAGAN_110726_0980.JPG: Lying in State: On Wednesday, June 9, 2004, President Reagan's funeral procession began its slow journey to the US Capitol. There President Reagan lay in state with a guard of honor for public viewing until Friday morning, June 11. More than 100,000 people waited hours in line to pay their respects. Nancy Reagan received visitors at Blair House, just across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. In Washington as in California, hundreds of thousands of Americans lined the streets to bid farewell as the president's funeral procession passed by.
184. REAGAN_110726_0983.JPG: At the National Cathedral: At about 10:30am, on June 11, 2004, a motorcade carried the president's casket to Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral service broadcast around the world. Dignitaries from 165 nations attended the funeral, from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone. Just about 1:00pm, the journey back to California began. The plane that carried the president's casket dipped its wings in salute over his birthplace in Illinois and again over the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library just before it landed.
185. REAGAN_110726_0985.JPG: Ronald Reagan At Rest: The president's casket reached the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for burial just before sunset. His family and close friends fathered for a private funeral service and the president's interment on the evening of June 11, 2004.
186. REAGAN_110726_0987.JPG: Final Farewell: This American flag draped Ronald Reagan's casket during his state funeral. The flag was presented to Nancy Reagan by Captain James Symonds, the Commanding Officer of the USS Ronald Reagan.
187. REAGAN_110726_0990.JPG: Bugle: At President Reagan's interment, US Army Sergeant Major Woodrow "Woody" English used this bugle to play "Taps."
188. REAGAN_110726_0995.JPG: Dear Nancy, June 10th, 2004 I wanted to tell you how much Philip and I have been thinking of you at this sad time, thought I know for him it must be a merciful release. I shall remember the many times I met President Reagan "Dear Nancy": Nancy Reagan received condolence letters from world leaders, dear friends, and complete strangers alike. The letters testified to the great respect and admiration so many people felt for Ronald Reagan and their sorrow at her loss.
189. REAGAN_110726_1000.JPG: President Reagan's Riding Boots: During the funeral of a president, a riderless horse with boots reversed in the stirrups follows the horse-drawn caisson carrying the casket. This symbolizes a fallen warrior looking back at his troops, a custom dating back many centuries.
190. REAGAN_110726_1006.JPG: The Legacy Theater was made possible by the generosity of Jim and Mary Pattison In honor of their lifetime commitment to individual liberty, economic opportunity, and freedom. Jim Pattison From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James Allen "Jim" Pattison, OC, OBC (born October 1, 1928) is a Vancouver-based Canadian entrepreneur who is the president, managing director, chief executive officer, chairman and sole owner of the Jim Pattison Group, the third largest privately held company in Canada. With an estimated net worth of around $US 5.8 billion (as of March 2011), Pattison was ranked by Forbes as the 3rd wealthiest person in Canada and 173rd in the world.
191. REAGAN_110726_1011.JPG: 1924 Auto Club Highway Patrol Service Truck: This Dodge is a replica on one of the ten trucks that made up the original Highway Patrol Service. Besides changing tires and providing gasoline for an empty tank. the specially trained drivers could also make many mechanical repairs and, in most cases, get stalled cars moving again. In outlying communities the Patrol drivers often rendered services such as delivering mail and transporting sick people to the hospital. As early as 1918, the Auto Club experimented with patrols that would come to the aid of stranded motorists. The program took form in 1924 as the Highway Patrol Service, with specially trained drivers in trucks equipped for mechanical repairs. As telephones became common in increasing numbers of households, the Club started the familiar call service. This service proved so popular that the Club contracted with service stations in every region and town to provide towing service.
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Wikipedia Description: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, the library is located in Simi Valley, California, about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Downtown Los Angeles and 15 miles (24 km) west of Chatsworth. The library may be accessed by driving to the Olsen Road exit of State Route 23, which connects to the nearby Ronald Reagan Freeway, State Route 118.

The Reagan Library is the largest of the twelve federally funded presidential libraries. The street address, 40 Presidential Drive, is numbered in honor of Reagan's place as the 40th President.

Dedication:

Construction of the library began in 1988, and the center was dedicated on November 4, 1991. The dedication ceremonies were the first time in United States history that five United States Presidents gathered together in the same place: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. Six First Ladies also attended: Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush.

Facilities:

When the Reagan Library opened it was the largest of the presidential libraries (with roughly 153,000 square feet). It held that title until the dedication of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas on November 18, 2004. With the opening of the 90,000-square-foot (8,400 m2) Air Force One Pavilion in October 2005, the Reagan Library reclaimed the title in terms of physical size; however, the Clinton Library remains the largest presidential library in terms of materials (documents, artifacts, photographs, etc.). Like all presidential libraries since that of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Reagan Library was built entirely with private donations, at a cost of US$60 million. Major donors includ ...More...
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- 2011_CA_Reagan_AF1: CA -- Simi Valley -- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum -- Air Force One hangar (69 photos from 2011)
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2011 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used the Fuji S100fs camera as well as two Nikon models -- the D90 and the new D7000. Mostly a toy, I also purchased a Fuji Real 3-D W3 camera, to try out 3-D photographs. I found it interesting although I don't see any real use for 3-D stills now. Given that many of the photos from the 1860s were in 3-D (including some of the more famous Civil War shots), it's odd to see it coming back. Trips this year: Civil War Trust conferences (Savannah, GA, Chattanooga, TN), New Jersey over Memorial Day for my birthday (people never seem to visit New Jersey -- it's always just a pit stop on the way to New York. I thought I might as well spend a few days there. Despite some nice places, it still ended up a pit stop for me -- New York City was infinitely more interesting), my 6th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco). Ego strokes: Author photos that I took were used on two book jackets this year: Jason Emerson's book "The Dark Days of Abraham Lincoln's Widow As Revealed by Her Own Letters" and Dennis L. Noble's "The U.S. Coast Guard's War on Human Smuggling." I also had a photo of Jason Stelter published in the Washington Examiner and a picture of Miss DC, Ashley Boalch, published in the Washington Post. Number of photos taken this year: just over 390,000.
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Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].