Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois.

Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004, in Los Angeles, California.

Ronald Reagan attended Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, where he played gridiron football and was active in the drama society but earned only passing grades. A popular student, he was elected class president in his senior year.

Ronald Reagan rose to prominence initially as a film actor, appearing in more than 50 films, notably including Knute Rockne—All American (1940), Kings Row (1942), and The Hasty Heart (1950). Reagan later served as governor of California from 1967 to 1975, before being elected the 40th president of the United States in 1980.

Ronald Reagan is largely credited with the demise of Soviet communism during the 1980s. As president, he worked to reduce the threat of war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., to convince Soviet leaders that cooperation with the U.S. would serve Soviet interests, and to encourage openness and democracy in the U.S.S.R.

An assessment of Ronald Reagan’s legacy as U.S. president should take into account his administration’s domestic policies and its record in foreign affairs, including the Iran-Contra Affair, among other factors. Brief summaries of Reagan’s accomplishments are available at ProCon.org.