Nancy Reagan

Politician

1921 –

 Credit ยป
99

Who is Nancy Reagan?

Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989.

Born in New York City, her parents divorced soon after her birth and she grew up in Maryland, living with an aunt and uncle while her mother pursued acting jobs. As Nancy Davis, she was an actress in Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s, starring in films such as Donovan's Brain, Night into Morning, and Hellcats of the Navy. In 1952, she married Ronald Reagan, who was then president of the Screen Actors Guild, and they had two children. Reagan was the First Lady of California when her husband was Governor from 1967 to 1975. In that capacity, she began work with the Foster Grandparents Program.

Nancy Reagan became First Lady of the United States in January 1981 following her husband's election. She was criticized early in his first term largely due to her decision to replace the White House china, despite it being paid for by private donations. Nancy restored a Kennedy-esque glamor to the White House following years of lax formality, and her interest in high-end fashion garnered much attention, as well as criticism. She championed recreational drug prevention causes by founding the "Just Say No" drug awareness campaign, which was considered her major initiative as first lady. Always protective of her husband, more controversy ensued when it was revealed in 1988 that she had consulted an astrologer to assist in planning the president's schedule after the 1981 assassination attempt on her husband. She had a strong influence on her husband and played a role in a few of his personnel and diplomatic decisions.

We need you!

Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!

Born
Jul 6, 1921
Flushing
Also known as
  • Nancy Davis Reagan
  • Anne Frances Robbins
  • Mrs. Nancy Reagan
  • Nancy Davis
  • Nancy Zarif
  • First lady Nancy Reagan
  • Anne Francis Robbins
  • Nancy
Parents
Spouses
Children
Religion
  • Presbyterianism
Ethnicity
  • White American
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Education
  • Smith College
    English Studies
    ( - 1943)
  • Drama
  • Latin School of Chicago
    ( - 1939)
  • Sidwell Friends School
Employment
  • Clerk, Marshall Field's
Lived in
  • New York City
  • Bethesda

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Nancy Reagan." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/nancy_reagan>.

Discuss this Nancy Reagan biography with the community:

0 Comments

    Browse Biographies.net