The Introduction to the Brock-Reagan Letters
Introduction
Through extensive months of transcribing and coding the letters between Ronald Reagan and Margaret Brock, our class has had the ability to create a comprehensive collection of these letters that are made easily accessible digitally. We closely investigated a few artifacts from Margaret Brock’s personal collection of items that reside in Pepperdine University’s library. This class also spent a lot of time studying and navigating the Ronald Reagan library. Each of these research opportunities allowed us to contextualize these letters as well as providing us with an understanding of Reagan and Brock.
These letters are important because it is essential that we continue to preserve documents pertaining to our predecessors. Through these letters, we were able to see and understand Ronald Reagan in a more intimate, personal way, that would not have been possible if Margaret Brock had not been so meticulous. We will learn later how she had been very methodological and organized in terms of keeping all her documents in order. Archiving and saving these letters is crucial in continuing to sustain our histories.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was a very influential President of the United States that belonged to the Republican Party, and he resided in office from 1981-1989. Some of the most well-known topics that surrounded him during his presidency was Reaganomics, The War on Drugs and The Cold War. Reaganomics was a collection of policies that advocated for lower taxes and a reduction in the spending of the government. The War on Drugs is a campaign that opposes the usage of drugs that is supported by the federal government. The Cold War was very prevalent during Reagan’s presidency in which there was major tension between The Soviet Union and the U.S. Reagan was also a Hollywood star before he entered the political sphere, and we know he came from a very humble background. He grew up in a very miniscule village located in Illinois, which most likely influenced many of his policies.
Margaret Brock
Margaret Brock had been heavily involved in the Republican Party and had a very strong connection and relationship with Pepperdine University. Most of her influence in politics originated from the mass amounts of fundraising that she facilitated for the Republican Party. Ronald Reagan called her Mrs. California Republican due to her relevance in Los Angeles, specifically the Ventura County area, where she resided. Brock also funded the construction of Brock House on Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus.
Through some analysis of the letters that were corresponded between Reagan and Brock, we can make a few inferences about who Margaret Brock was. She was very detailed and organized when it came to any documents, even if they were simple letters. She saved all the conversations between her and Reagan. We found that they were preserved on campus neatly filed and organized along with many other documents.
The Purpose of Communication
We know that Brock was a prevalent woman during this time, and she was very important in Reagan’s campaign. She supported him and we see many times throughout his presidency, she even stood by his side with Nancy Reagan and many others. Through analyzing the letters, it appears as if Ronald Reagan and Margaret Brock were also very good friends. The correspondence between them seemed friendly most of the time, however, some of the letters were also very professional.
They corresponded with one another to reinstate their personal friendship as well as to emphasize their political relationship. We see discussions of menial aspects of their experiences, as well as details of his presidency and the events that they would be attending. It seems as if she attended most Republican Party events especially when it came to ones that were supporting Reagan. They were continuing to strengthen their personal correspondence with each letter that was sent between one another.
The Substance of the Letters
One letter stands out particularly that highlights the relationship that Reagan and Brock shared. It is dated February 19, 1968, in which it appears as if Brock had sent some flowers to Reagan’s house at the time. She had sent them for his birthday, and he was thanking her for her kindness in remembering this momentous day. Although, it is a very menial letter that does not necessarily hold a lot of meaning or importance, it allows the readers to understand the character of Brock and Reagan.
Another letter that’s important to note shines a new and different light on their personal relationship. In Brock’s correspondence to Reagan, she discusses one of the speeches he gave. She calls him “my friend” and summarizes some of the points he highlighted in his speech to the Prime Minister of Canada. She also calls him a Statesman, which reinstates their political relationship with one another. This letter also shows how much Brock respected and admired Reagan while he was president.
There is another letter that shows their financial and political relationship while Reagan was still a Senator. He sent a short letter thanking her for a wire transfer while he was traveling for his campaign on October 23, 1968. Reagan also references that he had been visiting many universities which hadn’t been his normal strategy for campaigning. This is important to note especially in his connection to Pepperdine University in later years. He had spoken to Pepperdine audiences more than once, and Nancy Reagan had graduated with a law degree from Pepperdine. The Reagans had been very closely interlinked with the campus besides his relationship with Margaret Brock.
Conclusion
It is clear how important these letters that were corresponded between Reagan and Brock are. We also know that it is essential to preserve these letters in order to continue to understand the type of people they were.
Cassandra Barron
Works Cited
University Librarian, Pepperdine. “Brock (Margaret Martin) Papers.” Online Archive of California, https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8v411t6/.