Dates in History

On January 20, 2009, the United States will swear in Barack Obama as our 44th president. Commemorated with a speech, parade, and a formal ball, the inauguration ceremony is a celebration of democracy and freedom, a moment for Americans to stand tall and united behind their newest leader. From the beginning of our nation's history, the presidential inauguration has been a solemn, dignified event that sets the tone for the incoming president's tenure as one of the world's most powerful leaders.

Every inauguration has a theme, and President-elect Obama's is "Restoring America's Promise," which highlights the Obama administration's goal of restoring "opportunity and possibility for all Americans and to rebuild America's role as a beacon of hope around the globe." In keeping with the theme, the schedule for inaugural events stresses public participation; the welcome event on January 18 is open to the public, and, on January 19, the President-elect and the Vice President-elect and their families will participate in community service events in Washington, D.C. And, since, election day, thousands have been scrambling for coveted tickets to the swearing-in ceremony.

The official swearing-in takes place on January 20 on the steps of the United States Capitol; the vice-president-elect takes the oath of office first and the president follows. They both say the same oath;

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same: that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and I will well and faithfully

discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter."

This oath was first taken by George Washington on April 30, 1789 in New York City - Washington D.C. wasn't yet the nation's capital. Washington added "So help me God" at the end of his oath, establishing a custom that's been followed by all succeeding presidents. His speech that followed was the height of brevity, the shortest inaugural speech ever at 135 words.

As Washington traveled from his home in Mount Vernon to New York City on his way to the inauguration, each city he passed hosted an elaborate reception in his honor. In Philadelphia, flags and wreaths of laurel greeted the soon-to-be president, and amid much pomp and circumstance, Washington entered the city to the sound of saluting rifles and cheering crowds.

This fanfare set the standard for upcoming ceremonies, but it was Thomas Jefferson who, during his second inauguration, created the tradition of the president parading down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. To date, the only president not do so was Ronald Reagan; during his second inauguration, freezing cold and high winds made the procession a dangerous risk. Jimmy Carter also broke with tradition in 1977 when he opted to walk from the Capitol to the White House. Although this tradition remains, subsequent presidents have only walked a part of the way, due to security reasons.

Click here to find out more about the presidential inauguration.