Ronald Reagan 1965 Letter to Childhood Friend Written After Goldwater Campaign Breakthrough

Ronald Reagan

Manuscript & Autographs

Reagan, Ronald. Letter to longtime acquaintance written during the early phase of his national political emergence following the 1964 presidential campaign. Ronald Reagan, later the 40th President of the United States, gained national political prominence after delivering a widely broadcast speech supporting Barry Goldwater during the 1964 presidential election. The address transformed Reagan from a well known film and television actor into an influential spokesman for modern American conservatism and positioned him as a rising figure within the Republican Party. Written in February 1965, this letter captures Reagan at a transitional moment when his public identity was shifting from entertainment toward political leadership, a development that culminated in his successful 1966 campaign for governor of California.

Reagan, Ronald. Typed Letter Signed (“Ronnie”). February 9, 1965. One page on personal stationery addressed to Mrs. Francis Welch. In the letter Reagan discusses travel commitments that prevent him from arranging a visit while passing through Chicago and recalls his longstanding acquaintance with the recipient: “I have been holding your letter hoping that in some way I could tie a trip out of the city while I was in Chicago. Unfortunately my sponsor got into the act and is sending me on to Washington, so I can't make any side visits. I am going to hold your card though, in case something else comes up later on making it possible to do as you suggested. Incidentally I remember you more than slightly, and recall a very faithful swimming student. I hope it will be possible to cross paths again. Best Regards. Sincerely.” Reagan signs the letter informally as “Ronnie.”

The correspondence was addressed to Francis Welch, a childhood acquaintance from Dixon, Illinois, where Reagan moved with his family at age nine and spent formative years that he frequently referenced throughout his political career. Their intermittent correspondence continued for decades and portions appear in Reagan: A Life in Letters, edited by Kiron K. Skinner and others. The letter also documents Reagan’s increasingly active speaking schedule during 1965, the year after his nationally televised Goldwater speech elevated him within Republican political circles. At the same time Reagan remained involved in television as host of the western series Death Valley Days, which would become his final acting role before entering electoral politics. Within a year of this letter he launched his successful campaign for governor of California, serving two terms before later winning the presidency in 1980 and 1984. Original fold lines from mailing; otherwise clean and well preserved. Overall very good to near fine condition. A revealing transitional document from the moment Reagan’s public career shifted from Hollywood to national politics.

Item #14155

Price: $850.00