Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Whiteside County, Illinois. He was the son of John Edward "Jack" Reagan and Nelle Clyde "Nellie" Wilson Reagan. He was first married to Jane Wyman and later to Nancy Reagan. He studied at Eureka College, worked as a sports broadcaster, and later moved to Hollywood, where he starred in over 50 films. He also served in the U.S. Army during WWII and twice became president of the Screen Actors Guild, where he opposed communist influence in Hollywood.

Originally a Democrat, his political views shifted rightward, and his 1964 “A Time for Choosing” speech for Barry Goldwater launched his political rise. He served as Governor of California (1967–1975), known for tax hikes to balance the budget and strong stances on student protests. Elected president in 1980, Reagan introduced “Reaganomics”—tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced social spending—leading to both strong economic growth and soaring national debt. On the global stage, he expanded military spending, took a hard line against the Soviet Union, and later negotiated with Mikhail Gorbachev, culminating in the INF Treaty (1987) and contributing to the end of the Cold War. His presidency also saw controversial episodes such as the Iran–Contra affair, the 1983 invasion of Grenada, and criticism for a slow response to the AIDS crisis.

Reagan left office in 1989 with high popularity, credited for economic expansion and Cold War victory, but criticized for tripling the national debt and widening inequality. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1994, he lived in seclusion until his death on June 5, 2004. He is now buried in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, Ventura County, California, USA.

Source of information and photo: en.wikipedia.org