Ronald Reagan

“ That beauty, from the Grand Canyon in the north to the Saguaro National Monument in the south, will forever epitomize the scenic majesty of the American West. Because the pioneer spirit of the people of Arizona continues to epitomize the American spirit, it is most fitting that every American celebrate the 75th anniversary of Arizona statehood. ”

“ But in the three-quarters of a century since then, the people of Arizona have shown again and again that they have never lost the tenacity and pioneer spirit that gained them statehood. Our Nation is much the better thereby.
Arizona has always presented challenges and frontiers to those who would settle there-Indians, missionaries, colonists, and pioneers alike. Today's Arizonans pioneer in high technology, medical research, space programs, astronomy, and many more fields of endeavor, and Americans continue to find opportunity in this beautiful State. ”