America Remembers Ronald Reagan

World news recently has focused on the passing of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan.  Since his passing on June 5, 2004, all media have been covering the ceremonies and memorials held for Reagan's passing.  Much of this media coverage has been spent examining his past and Midwestern roots.

What most people do not know is that Ronald Reagan had an indelible link to the chiropractic profession.  His first job in show business was as a radio announcer in the early thirties on two radio stations owned by the developer of chiropractic Dr. BJ Palmer.

Dr. BJ Palmer was the son of Dr. DD Palmer who discovered chiropractic. He is widely credited with the development of chiropractic. However, in addition to his life-long career in chiropractic, Dr. Palmer was also fascinated with radio and was a pioneer in this area.

Palmer owned two stations, WOC and a sister station WHO in the Davenport - Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois which is the birthplace of chiropractic. These two stations were where Reagan got his first jobs as a sports broadcaster, covering college football games. 

To read additional information on Ronald Reagan's start in broadcasting, please see the links below.

• Ronald Reagan Radio Years
• WOC radio story
• Listen to Reagan interview describing how he got his first job in broadcasting.