Ronald Reagan, 40th U.S. President: “The vitality of the United States derives in great measure from the richness of our cultural heritage”
On his birthday, we remember a line from former President Ronald Reagan that still carries meaning today.
Throughout his presidency in the 1980s, which wasn’t without its own controversies, Ronald Reagan remembered to articulate a vision of America shaped not only by economic strength and a particular geopolitical strategy but also by an appreciation for the nation’s cultural foundations.
Even for Reagan, American identity was inseparable from the traditions, values, and history of mixed cultures that has been the bread and butter of the country together since its founding as a land of anti-colonialism and freedom for all peoples.
One of his curious reflections on this theme came on May 1, 1981, when he stated: “The vitality of the United States derives in great measure from the richness of our cultural heritage.” This remark highlighted his belief that what made the United States resilient and vibrant was not just its material achievements but also the cultural mosaic of beliefs, arts, customs, and collective memory that Americans chose to carry forward.
Donald Trump spoke to an audience of religious leaders, foreign dignitaries and business elites in what will surely not go down as one of the Godliest addresses in history. pic.twitter.com/XdsLhsGe6S
— Zeteo (@zeteo_news) February 5, 2026
Let’s be frank: it also highlights the xenophobic rhetoric that has poisoned the Republican party since Trump’s original explosion onto the scene.
Reagan argued that the arts, humanities, and diverse traditions across communities were crucial to shaping the character and future of the country.
His advocacy for culture extended beyond rhetoric. In May 1981, he established a presidential taskforce focused on the arts and humanities - which he didn’t name after himself - highlighting his view that cultural institutions were essential national resources deserving of support.
“Government is only a convenience created and managed by the people”
Reagan also connected cultural heritage to broader ideals of inclusion and aspiration. He celebrated the United States as a nation continually renewed by waves of people from different lands and backgrounds, each contributing to the collective story.
He finished off his famous line with the following: “Government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people. We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should.”
Oh, how the United States would benefit from somebody who believed in that now, true American principles.
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