Remembering Ronald Reagan

J. Michael Sharman

In this presidential primary season, it seems every candidate of each party is invoking the name of Ronald Reagan, our fortieth President, and using his presidency as a benchmark by which to announce what they would do in a presidency of their own.

Ronald Reagan’s birthdate is February 6 and so, in remembrance of that day, it might be good to look back at what we knew of him and what he announced at his inaugural as he began his two terms in office.

His was born in 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. He wasn’t born rich or privileged, nor did he heroically raise himself out of poverty or disadvantaged circumstances. He just had about as average an American upbringing and youth as could be imagined.

His father, John Edward Reagan, was a shop clerk and merchant. Ronald Reagan was educated in public schools, and from there went to Eureka College, in Eureka, Illinois. He had a successful college sports career, and so being a sports announcer was a logical start to his work career.

He progressed from there to  broadcaster, and then on to Hollywood as a screen actor.

Like most other Americans of his day, he served in World War II, and like many other actors, the military  requested that he use his on-screen presence and film knowledge to make military and publicity films, and so he served out the war as a Captain, U.S. Army Air Corps.

He married actress Jane Wyman, and they adopted one son, radio personality Michael Reagan, and had one daughter, Maureen Reagan. 

In 1952, after that marriage had ended in divorce, Ronald Reagan married another actress, Anne Frances Robbins Davis, whom we know as “Nancy” Reagan. They had Patricia Ann Reagan (“Patti Davis”), and Ronald Prescott Reagan.

Ronald Reagan’s work as the president of the actor’s labor union, the Screen Actors Guild, prepared him to become Governor of California, which in turn prepared him to be President of the United States.

Chief Justice Warren Burger swore him in for his First Term Inauguration on January 20, 1981. Change was sweeping through and the malaise of the Carter days was ending. The Republicans had won the White House and a majority in the Senate. 

Reagan’s inauguration ceremony was the first ever held on the terrace of the West Front of the Capitol.  During his inauguration, the 52 American hostages who had been held 444 days by the revolutionary government of Iran were freed.

President Reagan’s inaugural speech spoke to many of the political events of the day, but as we look back at it through the filtering agent of time, perhaps its overriding theme is Mr. Reagan’s evocation of God’s blessing over his term in office and for our nation:

...Your dreams, your hopes, your goals are going to be the dreams, the hopes, and the goals of this administration, so help me God...

...I am told that tens of thousands of prayer meetings are being held on this day, and for that I am deeply grateful.  We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free.  It would be fitting and good, I think, if on each Inauguration Day in future years it should be declared a day of prayer...

The crisis we are facing today...does require, however, our best effort, and our willingness to believe in ourselves and to believe in our capacity to perform great deeds; to believe that together, with God's help, we can and will resolve the problems which now confront us.

And, after all, why shouldn't we  believe that?  We are Americans.  God bless you, and thank you.

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By J. Michael Sharman Click here for bio and archived articles