President Ronald Reagan

On a cold January afternoon in 1981, as the temperature hovered below freezing and a sharp winter wind cut across the National Mall, millions of Americans watched a moment that felt like the breaking of a long fever. The country had endured years of inflation, oil shocks, hostage crises, and a grinding sense of decline. Faith in government had sunk to levels unseen since the Great Depression. But now, on the steps of the Capitol, a former Hollywood actor with a warm smile, an easy voice, and a confidence that bordered on serene placed his hand on a Bible and took the oath of office. Ronald Wilson Reagan—“Dutch” to his childhood friends, “The Great Communicator” to many who adored him—became the 40th president of the United States. His very presence seemed to promise a reversal of mood: a return to optimism, strength, and national pride.