Presidential inaugurations of yesteryear
On Jan. 21, Barack Obama will be sworn in, for a second time, in the fifty-seventh inaugural ceremonies in our nation’s capital. Look back at past presidential inaugurations from the archives. Photos include Franklin D. Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
- March 4, 1905 — Theodore Roosevelt, a distant relative of Franklin D. He is shown giving his Inaugural address in 1905. He was the youngest man ever to become President, being only 42 when he entered the office in 1901, after the assassination of William McKinley. (AP File Photo)
- March 4, 1913 —Woodrow Wilson and William Taft leave to attend inaugural ceremonies for Wilson. (Harris & Ewing File Photo)
- March 4, 1913 — Before the fates disclosed the mighty stage upon which Woodrow Wilson was to act. He is shown here with William Howard Taft at his first inauguration in 1913. Previously, Taft was inaugurated March 4, 1909. (AP File Photo)
- March 4, 1913 — Here is Woodrow Wilson being sworn in. (Harris & Ewing/AP File Photo)
- March 5, 1917 — Woodrow Wilson’s second Inauguration. (AP File Photo)
- March 4, 1925 — Calvin Coolidge’s inauguration parade. (Underwood & Underwood File Photo)
- March 4, 1925 — President Calvin Coolidge’s inauguration. (Baltimore Sun)
- March 4, 1925 — President Calvin Coolidge delivering his Inaugural address in front of the Capitol over a battery of microphones. (AP File Photo)
- March 4, 1929 — President Calvin Coolidge and President-elect Herbert C. Hoover drive from the White House to Hoover’s inauguration at the Capitol. (AP File Photo)
- March 4, 1929 — President Herbert Hoover’s inaugural ceremonies. (Harris & Ewing File Photo)
- March 4, 1929 — President Herbert Hoover inaugural ceremonies. (AP File Photo)
- March 4, 1933 — President Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugural ceremonies. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1937 — Led by their band the cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point march in the inaugural parade following the inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for a second term. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1937 — President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mrs. Roosevelt, thoroughly drenched by the downpour of rain, arrive at the White House in an open automobile in which they drove from the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. President Roosevelt had been induced to ride to the ceremony in a closed car but insisted on riding in an open car so that the thousands who braved the rain might see him. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1949 — Missouri mules pass in review. Mules from Lamar, Mo., pass reviewing stand at White House here today in inaugural parade honoring a former Missouri farm boy — President Truman. The President stands in center of reviewing platform. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1949 — Midshipmen of the US Naval Academy march up Pennsylvania Ave. during the inauguration parade for Harry S. Truman. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1953 — Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated as the thirty-fourth President in ceremonies. Chief Justice Fred Vinson administers the oath. Harry Truman, the outgoing president, is at left and Richard Nixon, the new vice president, is at right. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1961 — President-elect John F. Kennedy, with President Eisenhower, as they left the White House in 1961 for Mr. Kennedy’s inauguration ceremonies at the Capitol in Washington. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1961 — President John F. Kennedy with wife Jacqueline Kennedy on January 20, 1961 after taking the oath of office. (Bett Mann/Reuters) President John F. Kennedy inauguration. President John F. Kennedy with wife Jacqueline Kennedy on January 20, 1961 after taking the oath of office. (Bett Mann/Reuters)
- January 20, 1961 — Former Vice President Richard Nixon congratulates President John F. Kennedy in Washington today after Kennedy delivered his inaugural address. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson stands between the two men who competed for the office of President, in the elections, won by Kennedy. (Harry Harris/File Photo)
- Jan. 20, 1961 —President John F. Kennedy delivers his inaugural address after taking the oath of office at the Capitol in Washington in Jan. 20, 1961. During this historic speech Kennedy wagged his index finger as he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1969 — President Richard M. Nixon dedicates his new administration “to the cause of peace among nations” as former President Lyndon Johnson listens to the inaugural speech today. Seated at right is Nixon’s Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Behind Johnson is the wife of Sen. Mike Mansfield and at right of her is the wife of Sen. Everett Dirksen. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1973 — President Richard M. Nixon takes the oath of office today from Chief Justice Warren E. Burger for the President’s second term. Mrs. Nixon holds two family Bibles. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1973 — President Richard M. Nixon extends his arms and fingers in a “V” sign as his wife smiles happily at his side in limousine bearing them along the inaugural parade route Saturday. (AP File Photo)
- August 9, 1974 —Gerald R. Ford takes the oath of office as the 38th President of the United States in the East Room of the White House. Mrs. Betty Ford looks on as Chief Justice Warren Burger administers the oath in the same room that only hours before Richard M. Nixon bid farewell to members of his staff. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1977 — President-elect and Mrs. Jimmy Carter are greeted at the White House Thursday by President and Mrs. Gerald Ford. The Fords invited the Carters to the White House for coffee in the Blue Room prior to Carter inauguration at noon. From left, Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Ford, Carter and Ford. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1977 — Jimmy Carter takes the oath of office as the 39th president of the United States at the Capitol Thursday as his wife Rosalynn holds the Bible. Chief Justice of the United States Warren Burger administers the oath while Senator Howard Cannon of Nevada stands behind the Carters. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1977 — A military band leads the Carter entourage along the inaugural parade route as sunny skies brighten the way. (J. Pat Carter/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 1981 — Nancy Reagan watches as her husband Ronald Reagan takes the oath of office at the Capitol January 20, 1981 file photo. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1981 — U.S. Marine Corps band at the inaugural parade for Ronald Reagan. (Richard Childress/Baltimore Sun)
- January 21, 1985 — The President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, delivers his inaugural address in the Rotunda of the Capitol Monday in Washington. (Bob Daugherty/AP File Photo)
- January 21, 1985 —President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Reagan wave to all the bands gathered at the Capital Centre. (Far right is V.P. George Bush). (Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)
- January 21, 1985 — President Reagan and Mrs. Reagan have the first dance at the Inaugural Ball for Young Americans at the D.C. Armory in Washington Monday night. (AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1989 — President George Herbert Walker Bush at his swearing-in on Jan. 20, 1989. (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 1989 — President George Herbert Walker Bush at his swearing-in on Jan. 20, 1989. (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 1989 — President George Herbert Walker Bush at his swearing-in on Jan. 20, 1989. (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 1993 — President William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton gestures as he delivers his inaugural address after taking the oath of office on Jan. 20, 1993. (Ron Edmonds/AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1993 — Tipper Gore, Chelsea Clinton, center, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, look on during the inaugural ceremony for President-elect Clinton inauguration Jan. 20, 1993. (Ed Reinke/AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1993 — President Clinton, center podium, delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in as the 42nd president of the United States on Jan. 20, 1993. (Ron Edmonds/AP File Photo)
- January 20, 1993 — President Clinton and Everett Harp play their saxophones during the Arkansas Ball on Inauguration evening at Washington’s Convention center, Jan. 20, 1993. (Greg Gibson/AP File Photo)
- January 21, 1997 — President Clinton, is sworn in at the inauguration for his second term as President. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)
- January 21, 1997 — This is the over-all view during President Clinton’s inauguration speech. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 2001 — President George Walker Bush speaks at his inauguration after becoming the 43rd President today. Even far away and couldn’t see him, people cheered to each words. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 2001 — President George W. Bush is sworn in as President of the United States by Chief Justice William Rehnquist on the west side of the Capitol. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 2005 — President George W. Bush (C) gives his inaugural address to invited guests on the West side of the US Capitol on January 20, 2005 in Washington, DC. (Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images)
- January 20, 2005 — President George W. Bush gives his inaugural speach after taking the oath of office. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 2005 — Chief Justice Willam Rehnquist administers the oath of office to President George W. Bush, as First Lady Laura Bush and daughter Barbara and Jenna look on. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun)
- January 20, 2009 —President Barack Obama delivers his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, January 20, 2009. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune/MCT)
- January 20, 2009 — President-elect Barack Obama arrives for his inauguration Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)
- January 20, 2009 — President-elect Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and daughters Sasha, right and Malia, on the podium moments before Obama was sworn in as the 44th president at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Chuck Kennedy/AP File Photo)
- January 20, 2009 — President Barack Obama delivers his inaugural address after taking the oath as the 44th U.S. President at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, January 20, 2009. (Harry E. Walker/MCT)
- January 20, 2009 — President Obama holds the hand of first lady Michelle Obama, left, as they walk former President George W. Bush and wife, Laura, to their awaiting helicopter following Obama’s inauguration Tuesday. (Brian Vander Brug/LA Times)
- January 20, 2009 — President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama dance at the Commander in Chief’s ball in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, January 20, 2009. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune/MCT)
According to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, some interesting facts:
• The Jan. 21, 1985 inaugural ceremonies for Ronald Reagan was the coldest Inauguration day on record. Brrrr. Imagine a noon temperature of 7°F.
• The Jan. 20, 1949 inaugural ceremonies for Harry S. Truman was the first to be televised.
• The March 4, 1857 inaugural ceremonies for James Buchanan, first known to have been photographed.
• The March 4, 1825 inaugural ceremonies saw a change in fashion. John Quincy Adams was the first to wear long trousers. Knee breeches were so last year.
• The March 4, 1793 inaugural ceremonies for George Washington, his second, was held in Philadelphia. 135: The number of words in his inaugural address.
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