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The First Inauguration

George Washington was the first person inaugurated President of the United States. He was sworn into office on April 30, 1798, following the Revolutionary War. Washington’s ceremony set the standard for Inauguration Ceremonies and began the tradition of the Inaugural Address, a speech given by the new President that often serves to inspire and reassure the American people. This ceremony happens every four years and marks the beginning of each new Presidential term.

Barack Obama’s Inauguration

On January 20, 2009 the United States will witness the 56th Presidential Inauguration. Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, will take his Inaugural Oath and give his Inaugural Speech on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. This year’s Inauguration Theme commemorates the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth with the title: “A New Birth of Freedom”.

In his Gettysburg Address of 1863, Lincoln dedicated the Soldier’s National Cemetery, saying, “…we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Two hundred years later, the “new birth of freedom” Lincoln prescribed serves as the guiding phrase for this Inauguration Ceremony.

A Day in the Life of the President

President-Elect Obama will have a very busy day on the 20th. First, he will attend a worship service, then process to the Capitol, witness the Vice President’s Swearing-In Ceremony, have his own Swearing-In Ceremony, give an Inaugural Address, depart, attend the Inaugural Luncheon and Parade, and finish his day with the Inaugural Ball (of which there could be as many as 14). Hopefully he finds time to recover after such a busy day!

Fun Facts

From George Washington to Barack Obama, many changes have been made to the ceremony. Here is a list of fun and interesting facts from Inauguration history:

• The Nation’s Capitol has not been the only host of inaugurations. Other sites that have are New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Buffalo, NY; Plymouth, VT; and Air Force One.
• Martin Van Buren, Inaugurated in 1837, was the first President who was not born as a British subject.
• The longest Inaugural Address was 8,445 words while the shortest was 135 words.
• African Americans participated in the Inaugural Parade for the first time in 1865 for Abraham Lincoln’s Inauguration.
• William McKinley’s 1897 Inauguration was the first recorded by a motion picture camera.
• Women first participated in the Inaugural Parade for Woodrow Wilson in 1917.
• Ronald Reagan’s 1985 Inauguration was the coldest with a temperature of 7 degrees Farenheit.
• In 1997, William Clinton’s Inauguration was the first to be broadcast live on the internet.