 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "United States presidential inauguration" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
_(alternate).jpg)
Between seventy-three and seventy-nine days after thepresidential election, thepresident-elect of the United States isinaugurated aspresident by taking thepresidential oath of office. The inauguration takes place for each new presidential term, even if the president is continuing in office for another term.
Thefirst inauguration of George Washington took place on April 30, 1789. Subsequent public inaugurations from 1793 until 1933 were held on March 4, with the exceptions of those in 1821, 1849, 1877, and 1917, when March 4 fell on a Sunday, thus the public inauguration ceremony took place on Monday, March 5. Since 1937, it has taken place at noonEastern time on January 20, the first day of the new term, except in 1957, 1985, and 2013, when January 20 fell on a Sunday. In those years, the presidential oath of office was administered on that day privately and then again in a public ceremony the next day, on Monday, January 21. Themost recent presidential inauguration was held on January 20, 2025, whenDonald Trump reassumed office.
Recitation of the presidential oath of office is the only component in this ceremony mandated by theUnited States Constitution (inArticle II, Section One, Clause 8). Though it is not a constitutional requirement, thechief justice of the United States typically administers the presidential oath of office. Since 1789, the oath has been administered at sixty scheduled public inaugurations, by fifteen chief justices, oneassociate justice, and one New York state judge. Others, in addition to the chief justice, have administered the oath of office to several of the ninevice presidents who have succeeded to the presidency upon their predecessor's death or resignation intra-term.
Since the1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan, the ceremony has been held at the west front of theUnited States Capitol facing theNational Mall with its iconicWashington Monument and distantLincoln Memorial. From 1829 through 1977, most swearing-in ceremonies had taken place on a platform over the steps at the Capitol's east portico. They have also been held inside theOld Senate Chamber, the chamber of theHouse of Representatives, and theCapitol rotunda.[1] The most recent regularly scheduled inauguration not to take place at the Capitol was thefourth inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, which was held at theWhite House.[a]
Over the years, various traditions have arisen that have expanded the inauguration from a simple oath-taking ceremony to a day-long event, including parades and multiple social gatherings. The ceremony itself is carried live via the major U.S.commercial television andcable news networks; various ones also stream it live on their websites.[citation needed]
When a president has assumed office intra-term, the inauguration ceremony has been conducted without pomp or fanfare. To facilitate a quickpresidential transition under extraordinary circumstances, the new president takes the oath of office in a simple ceremony and usually addresses the nation afterward. This has happened nine times in United States history: eight times after the previous president had died while in office, and once after the previous president had resigned.
Thefirst inauguration, that of George Washington, took place on April 30, 1789.[citation needed] All subsequent (regular) inaugurations from 1793 until 1933 were held on March 4, the day of the year on which the federal government began operations under the U.S. Constitution in 1789. The exception to this pattern was those years in which March 4 fell on a Sunday. When it did, the public inauguration ceremony would take place on Monday, March 5. This happened on four occasions, in 1821, 1849, 1877, and 1917.[citation needed] Inauguration Day moved to January 20, beginning in 1937, following ratification of theTwentieth Amendment to the Constitution, where it has remained since. A similar Sunday exception and move to Monday is made around this date as well (which happened in 1957, 1985, and 2013).[citation needed]
This resulted in several anomalies. It has been alleged that in 1849, Senate President pro temporeDavid Rice Atchison was president for a day, although all scholars dismiss that claim.[2][3] In 1877, due to the controversy over theCompromise of 1877,Rutherford B. Hayes was sworn in secretly on March 3 beforeUlysses S. Grant's term ended on March 4—raising the question if the United States had two presidents at the same time for one day.[2] In modern times, the president took the oath on a Sunday in a private ceremony and repeated it the following day with all the pomp and circumstance. In 1985 and 2013, these ceremonies were televised. Irregular inaugurations occurred on nine occasions intra-term, after the death or, in one case, resignation of a president.[citation needed]
Inauguration Day, while not afederal holiday, is observed as a holiday by federal employees who would be working in the "Inauguration Day Area" and who are regularly scheduled to perform non-overtime work on Inauguration Day.[4] There is no in-lieu-of holiday for employees or students who are not regularly scheduled to work or attend school on Inauguration Day. The Inauguration Day Area consists of the District of Columbia;Montgomery andPrince George's counties in Maryland;Arlington andFairfax counties in Virginia (theCity of Fairfax is considered part of Fairfax County for this purpose), and the cities ofAlexandria andFalls Church in Virginia.[4]
Inauguration Day fell onMartin Luther King Jr. Day, another federal holiday (designated in 1986), in1997,2013, and2025.[5]
Most presidential inaugurations since 1801 have been held in Washington D.C. at theCapitol Building. Prior inaugurations were held, first atFederal Hall inNew York City (1789),[6] and then atCongress Hall inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania (1793 and 1797). Each city was, at the time, the nation'scapital. The location forJames Monroe's 1817 swearing in was moved to theOld Brick Capitol in Washington due to ongoing restoration work at the Capitol building following the War of 1812.[7] Three other inaugurations—Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth (1945),Harry S. Truman's first (1945), andGerald Ford's (1974)—were held at theWhite House.[citation needed]
Presidential inaugurations (aside from intra-term ceremonies following the death or resignation of a president) have traditionally been outdoor public ceremonies.[8] In 1909,William H. Taft's inauguration was moved to theSenate Chamber due to a blizzard.[9] Then, in 1985, the publicsecond inauguration of Ronald Reagan was held indoors in the Capitol Rotunda because of harsh weather conditions.[10] In 2025, thesecond inauguration of Donald Trump was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda due to extreme cold.[11][12]
The first inauguration ofAndrew Jackson, in 1829, was the first of 35 held on the east front of the Capitol. Since the 1981 first inauguration of Ronald Reagan, they have been held on the Capitol's west front; a move designed to both cut costs and to provide more space for spectators.[13] Above the west front inaugural platform are five largeUnited States flags. The current 50-star flag is displayed in the center.[8] On either side are earlier variations of the national flag: two are the official flag adopted by Congress after theadmission to the Union of the new president's home state and two are the 13-star flag popularly known as theBetsy Ross flag.[14]
Before Inauguration Day, thepresident-elect will name a Presidential Inaugural Committee. This committee is the legal entity responsible for fundraising for and the planning and coordination of all official events and activities surrounding the inauguration of president and vice president (other than the ceremony itself), such as the balls and parade.[15]
Since 1901, theJoint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has been responsible for the planning and execution of the swearing-in ceremonies.[16] Since 1953, it has also hosted a luncheon at the U.S. Capitol for the new president, vice president, and guests. Threesenators and threerepresentatives make up the committee.[citation needed]
TheJoint Task Force National Capital Region, composed of service members from all branches of theUnited States Armed Forces, including Reserve and National Guard components, is responsible for all military support to ceremonies and to civil authorities for the inaugural period (in 2017, January 15–24). U.S. military personnel have participated in Inauguration Day ceremonies since 1789 when members of theContinental Army, localmilitia units andRevolutionary War veterans escorted George Washington to his first inauguration ceremony. Their participation traditionally includes musical units,color guards,salute batteries andhonor cordons. Military support to the inauguration honors the new president, who iscommander-in-chief of the armed forces, and recognizes civilian control of the military.[17]
In addition to the public, the attendees at the inauguration generally include thevice president, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, high-ranking military officers, former presidents and vice-presidents, living Medal of Honor recipients, and other dignitaries. The outgoing president and vice president also customarily attend the ceremony.[citation needed]
While most outgoing presidents have appeared on the inaugural platform with their successor, six did not:
The way inauguration ceremony events are communicated to the public has changed over the years with each advance in technology. Improvements inmass media technologies have allowed presidents to reach substantially greater numbers of their constituents. In 1829, Andrew Jackson spoke to approximately 10,000 people at his inauguration.[23] Most recently, in 2017, it is estimated that about 160,000 people were in theNational Mall areas in the hour leading up toDonald Trump's swearing in.[24] An additional 30.6 million people in the United States watched it on television,[25] and more than 6.8 million worldwidestreamed it live onTwitter.[26] Among the inaugurationmass communication milestones are:[27]
Inauguration procedure is governed by tradition rather than the Constitution, the only constitutionally required procedure being the presidential oath of office (which may be taken anywhere, with anyone in attendance who can legally witness an oath, and at any time prior to the actual beginning of the new president's term).[18] Traditionally, the president-elect arrives at the White House and then proceeds to the Capitol Building with the out-going president.[citation needed] Around or after 12 noon, the president takes the oath of office, usually administered by thechief justice of the United States, and then delivers the inaugural address.[citation needed]
The vice president is sworn into office in the same ceremony as the president. Prior to 1937, thevice presidential oath was administered in theSenate Chamber (in keeping with the vice president's position as president of the Senate). The oath is administered to the vice president first. Immediately afterwards, theUnited States Marine Band will perform four "ruffles and flourishes", followed by "Hail, Columbia". Unlike the presidential oath, however, the Constitution does not specify specific words that must be spoken. Several variants of the oath have been used since 1789. The current form, which is also recited by senators, representatives, and other government officers, has been in use since 1884:
I do solemnly swear (oraffirm) 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 that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.[28]
At noon, the new presidential and vice presidential terms begin. At about that time, the president recites the constitutionally mandated oath of office:
I do solemnly swear (oraffirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
According toWashington Irving's biography of George Washington, after reciting the oath at his (and the nation's) first inauguration, Washington added the words "so help me God".[29] However, the only contemporaneous source that fully reproduced Washington's oath completely lacks the religious codicil.[30] The first newspaper report that actually described the exact words used in an oath of office, Chester Arthur's in 1881,[31] repeated the "query-response" method where the words, "so help me God" were a personal prayer, not a part of the constitutional oath. The time of adoption of the current procedure, where both the chief justice and the president speak the oath, is unknown.[citation needed]
The oath of office was administered to Washington in 1789 byRobert Livingston, Chancellor of New York State. Four years later, the oath was administered bySupreme Court associate justiceWilliam Cushing. Since the 1797 inauguration ofJohn Adams, it has become customary for the new president to be sworn into office by theChief Justice of the United States. Others have administered the oath on occasions when a new president assumed office intra-term due to the incumbent's death or resignation.William Cranch, chief judge of the U.S. Circuit Court, administered the oath of office toJohn Tyler in 1841 when he succeeded to the presidency uponWilliam Henry Harrison's death, and toMillard Fillmore in 1850 whenZachary Taylor died. In 1923, upon being informed ofWarren Harding's death, while visiting hisfamily home inPlymouth Notch, Vermont,Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as president by his father,John Calvin Coolidge, Sr., anotary public.[32][33] Most recently,federal judgeSarah T. Hughes administered the oath of office toLyndon B. Johnson aboardAir Force One afterJohn F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963.[citation needed]
Since 1789 there have been 60 inaugural ceremonies to mark the commencement of a new four-year term of a president of the United States, and an additional nine marking the start of a partial presidential term following the intra-term death or resignation of an incumbent president. With the2025 inauguration ofDonald Trump, the oath has been taken 74 different times by 45 people. This numerical discrepancy results chiefly from two factors: a president must take the oath at the beginning of each term of office, and, because the day of inauguration has sometimes fallen on a Sunday, five presidents have taken the oath privately before the public inaugural ceremonies.[27]
There is no requirement that any book, or in particular a book of sacred text, be used to administer the oath, and none is mentioned in the Constitution. By convention, incoming presidents raise their right hand and place the left on aBible or other book while taking the oath of office. While most have,John Quincy Adams did not use a Bible when taking the oath in 1825;[34] neither didTheodore Roosevelt in 1901.[35] In 1853,Franklin Pierce affirmed the oath of office rather than swear it.[36] More recently, a Catholicmissal was used for Lyndon B. Johnson's 1963 swearing in ceremony.[37][38]
Bibles of historical significance have sometimes been used at inaugurations.George H. W. Bush,Jimmy Carter andDwight D. Eisenhower used theGeorge Washington Inaugural Bible.Barack Obama placed his hand upon theLincoln Bible for his oaths in 2009 and 2013,[39] as did Donald Trump in 2017.[40]Joe Biden placed his hand upon a large leather-bound family Bible.[41] Trump used theLincoln Bible again, along with a childhood Bible given to him byhis mother, athis second inauguration,[42] though he did not place his hand on either Bible during the oath of office.[43]
Immediately after the presidential oath, theUnited States Marine Band will perform four "ruffles and flourishes", followed by "Hail to the Chief", while simultaneously, a21-gun salute is fired usingartillery pieces from the Presidential Guns Salute Battery,3rd United States Infantry Regiment "The Old Guard" located in Taft Park, north of the Capitol. The actual gun salute begins with the first "ruffle and flourish", and "run long" (i.e. the salute concludes after "Hail to the Chief" has ended). The Marine Band, which is believed to have made its inaugural debut in 1801 for Thomas Jefferson's first inauguration, is the only musical unit to participate in all three components of the presidential inauguration: the swearing-in ceremony, the inaugural parade, and an inaugural ball. During the ceremony, the band is positioned directly below the presidential podium at the U.S. Capitol.[44]
Newly sworn-in presidents usually give aspeech referred to as an inaugural address. As with many inaugural customs, this one was started by George Washington in 1789. After taking his oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall, he proceeded to the Senate chamber where he read a speech before members of Congress and other dignitaries. Every president since Washington has delivered an inaugural address. While many of the early presidents read their addresses before taking the oath, current custom dictates that the chief justice administer the oath first, followed by the president's speech.[16]William McKinley requested the change in 1897, so that he could reiterate the words of the oath at the close of his first inaugural address.[citation needed]
William Henry Harrison delivered the longest inaugural address, at 8,445 words, in 1841. John Adams' 1797 address, which totaled 2,308 words, contained the longest sentence, at 737 words. In 1793, Washington gave the shortest inaugural address on record, just 135 words.[16]
Most presidents use their inaugural address to present their vision of America and to set forth their goals for the nation. Some of the most eloquent and powerful speeches are still quoted today. In 1865, in the waning days of theCivil War,Abraham Lincoln stated, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." In 1933,Franklin D. Roosevelt avowed, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” And in 1961,John F. Kennedy declared, "And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country."[16]
On the eight occasions where the new president succeeded to the office upon their predecessor's death intra-term, none gave an address, but each did address Congress soon thereafter.[18] WhenGerald Ford became president in 1974, following the resignation ofRichard Nixon, he addressed the nation after taking the oath, but he characterized his speech as "Not an inaugural address, not afireside chat, not a campaign speech – just a little straight talk among friends".[45][46]
Since 1937, the ceremony has incorporated one or more prayers.[47][48] Since 1933 an associated prayer service either public or private attended by the president-elect has often taken place on the morning of the day.[49] At times a major public or broadcast prayer service takes place after the main ceremony most recently on the next day.[50]
Several inaugural ceremonies since 1961 have included a reading by a poet.[51] The following poetry readings have taken place:
Over the years, various inauguration traditions have arisen that have expanded the event from a simple oath-taking ceremony to a day-long one, including parades, speeches, and balls. In fact, contemporary inaugural celebrations typically span 10 days, from five days before the inauguration to five days after. On some occasions however, either due to the preferences of the new president or to other constraining circumstances, they have been scaled back. Such was the case in 1945, because ofrationing in effect duringWorld War II. More recently, in 1973, the celebrations marking Richard Nixon's second inauguration were altered because of the death of former presidentLyndon B. Johnson two days after the ceremony. All pending events were cancelled so preparations forJohnson's state funeral could begin.[58][59][60]
Since 1953, the president and vice president have been guests of honor at a luncheon held by the leadership of theUnited States Congress immediately following the inaugural ceremony.[citation needed] The luncheon is held inStatuary Hall and is organized by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, and attended by the leadership of both houses of Congress as well as guests of the president and vice president. By tradition, the outgoing president and vice president will not attend.
Following the arrival of the presidential entourage to theWhite House, it is customary for the president, vice-president, their respective families and leading members of the government and military to review an inaugural parade from an enclosed stand at the edge of theNorth Lawn, a custom begun byJames Garfield in 1881. The parade, which proceeds along 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the stand and the Front Lawn in view of the presidential party, features both military and civilian participants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia; this parade largely evolved from the post-inaugural procession to the White House, and occurred as far back asJefferson's second inauguration in 1805, when workers from theWashington Navy Yard, accompanied by military music, marched with the president[61] on foot as he rode on horseback from the Capitol to the White House. By the time ofWilliam Henry Harrison's inauguration in 1841, political clubs and marching societies would regularly travel to Washington for the parade. That year was also the first in which floats were part of the parade. It was at Lincoln's second inauguration, in 1865, that Native Americans and African Americans participated in the inaugural parade for the first time.[62] Women were involved for the first time in 1917.[63]
In 1829, following his first inaugural parade,Andrew Jackson held a public reception at the White House, during which 20,000 people created such a crush that Jackson had to escape through a window. Nevertheless, White House receptions continued until lengthy afternoon parades created scheduling problems. Reviving the idea in 1989, PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush invited the public to a "White House American Welcome" on the day after the inaugural.[64]
Grover Cleveland’s 1885 inaugural parade lasted three hours and showcased 25,000 marchers. Eighty years later,Lyndon Johnson’s parade included 52 select bands.[64]Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1953 parade included about 22,000 service men and women and 5,000 civilians, which included 50 state and organization floats costing $100,000. There were also 65 musical units, 350 horses, 3 elephants, an Alaskan dog team, and the280-millimeter atomic cannon.[65]
In 1977,Jimmy Carter became the first president to set out by foot for more than a mile on the route to the White House. The walk has become a tradition that has been matched in ceremony if not in length by the presidents who followed.[66]
Twice during the 20th century, an inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue was not held. In 1945, at the height ofWorld War II,Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth Inauguration was simple and austere with no fanfare or formal celebration following the event. There was no parade because ofgas rationing and a lumber shortage.[67] In 1985, with thetemperature near 7 °F (−14 °C),[68][69] all outdoor events forRonald Reagan's second inauguration were canceled or moved indoors.[61]
.jpg)
A prayer service associated with the inauguration dates back toGeorge Washington.[70] The modern tradition of a public interfaith service at theWashington National Cathedral (which belongs to theEpiscopal Church) began in 1933, following thefirst inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.[71] Held the morning after the inauguration, the service typically includes representatives from various Christian denominations and non-Christian religions.[72] Attendance is by invitation only, with tickets issued by the Cathedral and the Presidential Inaugural Committee.[73]
The first Inaugural Ball was held on the night ofJames Madison's first inauguration in 1809. Tickets were $4 and it took place at Long's Hotel.[63]
.jpg)
The security for the inaugural celebrations is a complex matter, involving theSecret Service,Department of Homeland Security,Federal Protective Service (DHS-FPS), all six branches of theArmed Forces, theCapitol Police, theUnited States Park Police (USPP), and theMetropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC). Federal law enforcement agencies also sometimes request assistance from various other state and local law-enforcement agencies throughout the United States.[citation needed]
Beginning with George Washington, there has been a traditional association with Inauguration festivities and the production of apresidential medal. With the District of Columbia attracting thousands of attendees for inauguration, presidential medals were an inexpensive souvenir for the tourists to remember the occasion. However, the once-simple trinket turned into an official presidential election memento. In 1901, the first Inauguration Committee[74][failed verification] on Medals and Badges was established as part of the official Inauguration Committee for the re-election of President McKinley. The Committee saw official medals as a way to raise funding for the festivities. Gold medals were to be produced as gifts for the president, vice president, and committee chair; silver medals were to be created and distributed among Inauguration Committee members, and bronze medals would be for sale for public consumption. McKinley's medal was simple with his portrait on one side and writing on the other side.[75]
Unlike his predecessor, whenTheodore Roosevelt took his oath of office in 1905, he found the previous presidential medal unacceptable. As an art lover and admirer of the ancient Greek high-relief coins, Roosevelt wanted more than a simple medal—he wanted a work of art. To achieve this goal, the president hiredAugustus Saint-Gaudens, a famous American sculptor, to design and create his inauguration medal. Saint-Gaudens' obsession with perfection resulted in a forestalled release and the medals were distributed after the actual inauguration. Nonetheless, President Roosevelt was very pleased with the result. Saint-Gaudens' design, executed byAdolph A. Weinman, was cast byTiffany & Company and was proclaimed an artistic triumph.[76] Saint-Gaudens' practice of creating a portrait sculpture of the newly elected president is still used today in presidential medal creation. After the president sits for the sculptor, the resulting clay sketch is turned into a life mask and plaster model. Finishing touches are added and the epoxy cast that is created is used to produce the die cuts. The die cuts are then used to strike the president's portrait on each medal.[77]
From 1929 through 1949, the official medal was struck by theU.S. Mint. This changed in 1953 when theMedallic Art Company was chosen to strikeWalker Hancock's portrait of President Eisenhower. The official medals have been struck by private mints ever since.[76]The Smithsonian Institution andThe George Washington University hold the two most complete collections of presidential medals in the United States.[citation needed]
Gerald Ford's unscheduled inauguration also had a medal.[78]
The 60 inauguration ceremonies marking the start of a new four-year presidential term of office and also the nine marking the start of a partial presidential term following the intra-term death or resignation of an incumbent president are listed in the table below.
| No. | Date | Event[b] | Location | Oath administered by | Address length[79] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | April 30, 1789 (Thursday) | First inauguration of George Washington | Front balcony, Federal Hall New York,New York | Robert Livingston, Chancellor of New York | 1431 words Full text |
| 2nd | March 4, 1793 (Monday) | Second inauguration of George Washington | Senate Chamber, Congress Hall Philadelphia,Pennsylvania | William Cushing, Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court | 135 wordsFull text |
| 3rd | March 4, 1797 (Saturday) | Inauguration of John Adams | House Chamber, Congress Hall | Oliver Ellsworth, Chief Justice of the United States | 2308 wordsFull text |
| 4th | March 4, 1801 (Wednesday) | First inauguration of Thomas Jefferson | Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol Washington, D.C. | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 1730 wordsFull text |
| 5th | March 4, 1805 (Monday) | Second inauguration of Thomas Jefferson | Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 2166 wordsFull text |
| 6th | March 4, 1809 (Saturday) | First inauguration of James Madison | House Chamber, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 1177 wordsFull text |
| 7th | March 4, 1813 (Thursday) | Second inauguration of James Madison | House Chamber, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 1211 wordsFull text |
| 8th | March 4, 1817 (Tuesday) | First inauguration of James Monroe | Front steps, Old Brick Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 3375 wordsFull text |
| 9th | March 5, 1821[c] (Monday) | Second inauguration of James Monroe | House Chamber, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 4472 wordsFull text |
| 10th | March 4, 1825 (Friday) | Inauguration of John Quincy Adams | House Chamber, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 2915 wordsFull text |
| 11th | March 4, 1829 (Wednesday) | First inauguration of Andrew Jackson | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 1128 wordsFull text |
| 12th | March 4, 1833 (Monday) | Second inauguration of Andrew Jackson | House Chamber, U.S. Capitol | John Marshall, Chief Justice | 1176 wordsFull text |
| 13th | March 4, 1837 (Saturday) | Inauguration of Martin Van Buren | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 3843 wordsFull text |
| 14th | March 4, 1841 (Thursday) | Inauguration of William Henry Harrison | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 8460 wordsFull text |
— | April 6, 1841[d] (Tuesday) | Inauguration of John Tyler (Extraordinary inauguration) | Brown's Indian Queen Hotel, Washington, D.C. | William Cranch Chief Judge,U.S. Circuit Court of the District of Columbia | — |
| 15th | March 4, 1845 (Tuesday) | Inauguration of James K. Polk | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 4809 wordsFull text |
| 16th | March 5, 1849[c] (Monday) | Inauguration of Zachary Taylor | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 1090 wordsFull text |
— | July 10, 1850[e] (Wednesday) | Inauguration of Millard Fillmore (Extraordinary inauguration) | House Chamber, U.S. Capitol | William Cranch Chief Judge, U.S. Circuit Court of the D.C. | — |
| 17th | March 4, 1853 (Friday) | Inauguration of Franklin Pierce | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 3336 wordsFull text |
| 18th | March 4, 1857 (Wednesday) | Inauguration of James Buchanan | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 2831 wordsFull text |
| 19th | March 4, 1861 (Monday) | First inauguration of Abraham Lincoln | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice | 3637 wordsFull text |
| 20th | March 4, 1865 (Saturday) | Second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Salmon P. Chase, Chief Justice | 700 wordsFull text |
— | April 15, 1865 (Saturday) | Inauguration of Andrew Johnson (Extraordinary inauguration) | Kirkwood House, Washington, D.C. | Salmon P. Chase, Chief Justice | — |
| 21st | March 4, 1869 (Thursday) | First inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Salmon P. Chase, Chief Justice | 1127 wordsFull text |
| 22nd | March 4, 1873 (Tuesday) | Second inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Salmon P. Chase Chief Justice | 1339 wordsFull text |
| 23rd | March 5, 1877[c] (Monday) | Inauguration of Rutherford B. Hayes | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Morrison Waite, Chief Justice | 2486 wordsFull text |
| 24th | March 4, 1881 (Friday) | Inauguration of James A. Garfield | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Morrison Waite, Chief Justice | 2979 wordsFull text |
— | September 20, 1881[f] (Tuesday) | Inauguration of Chester A. Arthur (Extraordinary inauguration) | Chester A. Arthur Home, New York, New York | John R. Brady, Justice of theNew York Supreme Court | — |
| 25th | March 4, 1885 (Wednesday) | First inauguration of Grover Cleveland | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Morrison Waite, Chief Justice | 1686 wordsFull text |
| 26th | March 4, 1889 (Monday) | Inauguration of Benjamin Harrison | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Melville Fuller, Chief Justice | 4392 wordsFull text |
| 27th | March 4, 1893 (Saturday) | Second inauguration of Grover Cleveland | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Melville Fuller, Chief Justice | 2015 wordsFull text |
| 28th | March 4, 1897 (Thursday) | First inauguration of William McKinley | Front oforiginal Senate Wing U.S. Capitol | Melville Fuller, Chief Justice | 3968 wordsFull text |
| 29th | March 4, 1901 (Monday) | Second inauguration of William McKinley | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Melville Fuller, Chief Justice | 2218 wordsFull text |
— | September 14, 1901 (Saturday) | First inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt (Extraordinary inauguration) | Ansley Wilcox Home, Buffalo, New York | John R. Hazel, Judge,U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York | — |
| 30th | March 4, 1905 (Saturday) | Second inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Melville Fuller, Chief Justice | 984 wordsFull text |
| 31st | March 4, 1909 (Thursday) | Inauguration of William Howard Taft | Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol | Melville Fuller, Chief Justice | 5434 wordsFull text |
| 32nd | March 4, 1913 (Tuesday) | First inauguration of Woodrow Wilson | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Edward D. White, Chief Justice | 1704 wordsFull text |
| 33rd | March 5, 1917[c] (Monday) | Second inauguration of Woodrow Wilson | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Edward D. White Chief Justice | 1526 wordsFull text |
| 34th | March 4, 1921 (Friday) | Inauguration of Warren G. Harding | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Edward D. White Chief Justice | 3329 wordsFull text |
— | August 3, 1923[g] (Friday) | First inauguration of Calvin Coolidge (Extraordinary inauguration) | Coolidge Homestead, Plymouth Notch,Vermont | John Calvin Coolidge Vermontjustice of the peace | — |
| 35th | March 4, 1925 (Wednesday) | Second inauguration of Calvin Coolidge | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | William H. Taft Chief Justice | 4055 wordsFull text |
| 36th | March 4, 1929 (Monday) | Inauguration of Herbert Hoover | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | William H. Taft Chief Justice | 3672 wordsFull text |
| 37th | March 4, 1933 (Saturday) | First inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Charles E. Hughes Chief Justice | 1880 wordsFull text |
| 38th | January 20, 1937 (Wednesday) | Second inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Charles E. Hughes Chief Justice | 1800 wordsFull text |
| 39th | January 20, 1941 (Monday) | Third inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Charles E. Hughes Chief Justice | 1359 wordsFull text |
| 40th | January 20, 1945 (Saturday) | Fourth inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt | South Portico, White House | Harlan F. Stone Chief Justice | 559 wordsFull text |
— | April 12, 1945 (Thursday) | First inauguration of Harry S. Truman (Extraordinary inauguration) | Cabinet Room, White House | Harlan F. Stone Chief Justice | — |
| 41st | January 20, 1949 (Thursday) | Second inauguration of Harry S. Truman | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Fred M. Vinson Chief Justice | 2273 wordsFull text |
| 42nd | January 20, 1953 (Tuesday) | First inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Fred M. Vinson Chief Justice | 2459 wordsFull text |
| 43rd | January 21, 1957[h] (Monday) | Second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Earl Warren Chief Justice | 1658 wordsFull text |
| 44th | January 20, 1961 (Friday) | Inauguration of John F. Kennedy | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Earl Warren Chief Justice | 1366 wordsFull text |
— | November 22, 1963 (Friday) | First inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson (Extraordinary inauguration) | Air Force One, Dallas Love Field, Dallas,Texas | Sarah T. Hughes Judge,U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas | — |
| 45th | January 20, 1965 (Wednesday) | Second inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Earl Warren Chief Justice | 1507 wordsFull text |
| 46th | January 20, 1969 (Monday) | First inauguration of Richard Nixon | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Earl Warren Chief Justice | 2128 wordsFull text |
| 47th | January 20, 1973 (Saturday) | Second inauguration of Richard Nixon | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Warren E. Burger Chief Justice | 1803 wordsFull text |
— | August 9, 1974 (Friday) | Inauguration of Gerald Ford (Extraordinary inauguration) | East Room, White House | Warren E. Burger Chief Justice | 850 wordsFull text |
| 48th | January 20, 1977 (Thursday) | Inauguration of Jimmy Carter | East Portico, U.S. Capitol | Warren E. Burger Chief Justice | 1229 wordsFull text |
| 49th | January 20, 1981 (Tuesday) | First inauguration of Ronald Reagan | West Front, U.S. Capitol | Warren E. Burger Chief Justice | 2427 wordsFull text |
| 50th | January 21, 1985[h] (Monday) | Second inauguration of Ronald Reagan | Rotunda, U.S. Capitol | Warren E. Burger Chief Justice | 2561 wordsFull text |
| 51st | January 20, 1989 (Friday) | Inauguration of George H. W. Bush | West Front, U.S. Capitol | William Rehnquist Chief Justice | 2320 wordsFull text |
| 52nd | January 20, 1993 (Wednesday) | First inauguration of Bill Clinton | West Front, U.S. Capitol | William Rehnquist Chief Justice | 1598 wordsFull text |
| 53rd | January 20, 1997 (Monday) | Second inauguration of Bill Clinton | West Front, U.S. Capitol | William Rehnquist Chief Justice | 2155 wordsFull text |
| 54th | January 20, 2001 (Saturday) | First inauguration of George W. Bush | West Front, U.S. Capitol | William Rehnquist Chief Justice | 1592 wordsFull text |
| 55th | January 20, 2005 (Thursday) | Second inauguration of George W. Bush | West Front, U.S. Capitol | William Rehnquist Chief Justice | 2071 wordsFull text |
| 56th | January 20, 2009 (Tuesday) | First inauguration of Barack Obama | West Front, U.S. Capitol | John Roberts Chief Justice | 2395 wordsFull text |
| 57th | January 21, 2013[h] (Monday) | Second inauguration of Barack Obama | West Front, U.S. Capitol | John Roberts Chief Justice | 2096 wordsFull text |
| 58th | January 20, 2017 (Friday) | First inauguration of Donald Trump | West Front, U.S. Capitol | John Roberts Chief Justice | 1433 wordsFull text |
| 59th | January 20, 2021 (Wednesday) | Inauguration of Joe Biden | West Front, U.S. Capitol | John Roberts Chief Justice | 2514 wordsFull text |
| 60th | January 20, 2025 (Monday) | Second inauguration of Donald Trump | Rotunda, U.S. Capitol | John Roberts Chief Justice | 2885 wordsFull text |
George Washington's first inauguration took place at Federal Hall in New York City [...] George Washington's first inaugural address, April 30, 1789
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
