Nancy Reagan

Nancy Reagan, born Anne Francis Robbins, was the American first lady from 1981-1989. She is especially noted for her efforts to limit drug use in American youths. She was also a Hollywood actress, and in the McCarthy Era, her name was on a list of communist sympathizers. Nancy Reagan was told to seek help from Screen Actors Guild president Ronald Reagan. He assured her that her career was safe, and the two began to date. They married in 1952.

Ronald Reagan was elected governor of California in 1966, and Nancy started to develop a platform. She led the Foster Grandparents program, which paired special-needs children with senior citizens. In 1968, the Los Angeles Times named her Woman of the Year.

After Ronald Reagan was elected president, Nancy launched her "Just Say No" campaign. This was an anti-drug campaign designed to discourage drug use by the American youth. She toured the nation, giving various speeches and visiting many rehabilitation centers. Later, she hosted the first ladies of seventeen countries, bringing them together for an international meeting on youth drug use.

By 1988, close to the end of Reagan's presidency, over 12,000 "Just Say No" clubs had formed across the United States. Her platform was successful; cocaine use by high schoolers dropped by over one third, and this rate was the lowest it has been in a decade. Ronald Reagan even signed into law a "Just Say No to Drugs Week."

Nancy Reagan was criticized for being excessive and overly extravagant when she suggested that the rooms of the White House should be remodeled. Many accused her of living lavishly, and this gave some Americans a negative view of her. That said, her efforts with the "Just Say No" campaign were very successful, which reversed the negative image of her.

After Nancy and Ronald Reagan left office, she created the Nancy Reagan Foundation to advocate for drug prevention programs. In 2004, after her husband's death, she supported stem-cell research and worked to bring attention to his legacy. Nancy Reagan died from congestive heart failure at the age of 94 in 2016.

Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/first-ladies/nancy-reagan
https://www.reaganfoundation.org/ronald-reagan/nancy-reagan/her-causes/
https://www.biography.com/us-first-lady/nancy-reagan
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/us/nancy-reagan-a-stylish-and-influential-first-lady-dies-at-94.html