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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA.
Apollo 11 Flag
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA.

Apollo 11 Flag

Artifact ID1984.01854.01
Object Type Plaque
Gifter
Maker (Washington, DC)
Gifter
Gifter
Date July 1969
Medium Wood, Fabric, Metal
Dimensions16 1/2 × 9 in. (41.9 × 22.9 cm)
Physical DescriptionThis is a plaque commemorating the Apollo 11 Lunar Mission. It is on a rectangular wooden plaque with cut-out corners and beveled edges. At the top, under Plexiglas, is a small American flag. Beneath it is a label that reads, "This flag was carried to the Moon aboard the Lunar module 'Eagle' July 16-24, 1969." The plaque in the middle third is a replica of the plaque left on the moon by the Apollo astronauts. It has two circles with the Western and Eastern Hemisphere. It reads, "HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON JULY 1969, A.D. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND. [Signature] NEIL A. ARMSTRONG ASTRONAUT [Signature] MICHAEL COLLINS ASTRONAUT [Signature] EDWIN E. ALDRIN, JR. ASTRONAUT [Signature] RICHARD NIXON, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." Under that is a label that reads, "This plaque is a replica of the original, which was left on the Lunar surface during the Apollo 11 Mission." At the bottom of the plaque, there is an engraved plate that reads, "Presented to The President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, On the 15th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing, Tranquility Base From the Apollo 11 Astronauts and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration The White House, Washington, D.C. July 20, 1984." The reverse has white hanging hardware at the top center and four blue pads in the corners.

Historical NotePresident Reagan met with the astronauts of Apollo 11 at the White House East Room on July 20, 1984, for a celebration during the 15th anniversary of man landing on the moon. President Reagan signed a proclamation declaring it Space Exploration Day. The plaque was a gift from James M. Beggs, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the crew of Apollo 11. The flag at the top was flown to the moon on the lunar module Eagle in 1969, and the plaque itself is a replica of the one left on the moon. After Neil Armstrong presented him with the plaque, President Reagan thanked him, saying “You're still beyond -- all of you -- my capacity to imagine.”
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteThe item was a gift from a member of the general public to President Ronald Reagan during the Reagan administration. It was received through the Executive Office of the President Office of Correspondence and maintained there until its transfer to the National Archives in January, 1989 for deposit with the Reagan Presidential Library.
National Archives Catalog CollectionRecords of the White House Gift Unit (Reagan Administration) (National Archives Identifier 6816362) and
National Archives Catalog SeriesGifts from the General Public (National Archives Identifier 6816363)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestricted
Use Restriction NoteReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
Person Depicted Astronauts of Apollo 11 (Crew: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin)
In Collection(s)
Exhibition HistoryGifts to the President (2007), Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Related LinksMonday Minute: Apollo & Columbia Space Mission 

Speech: Remarks at a White House Ceremony Marking the 15th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing July 20, 1984

Photograph: Ceremony with Apollo astronauts for 15th Anniversary of Lunar landing and Space Exploration Day in the East Room 07/20/1984 c23269-02    c23276-01

Video: President Ronald Reagan’s Remarks at the 15th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing at in the East Room July 20, 1984