Notable moments in inauguration history

Elizabeth Alexander, Features Editor

Inauguration Day for the United States has passed, a historical moment American citizens had been holding their breath for. Each and every inauguration has been unique and molded its own space in history, from hosting the first parade during an inauguration to the first time a woman swore in a president.

 

  • Barack Obama’s inauguration is recorded to have drawn in the largest attendance in U.S. history, as well as the first time for a woman to swear a president into office.
  • William J. Clinton’s inauguration was the first to be streamed live on the Internet.
  • The day of Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration was the coldest recorded in U.S. history, being seven degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Lyndon Baines Johnson, the president following John F. Kennedy, was the first to be transported to his inauguration in a bullet-proof limousine.
  • Harry S. Truman’s second inauguration was the first to be televised.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first and only president to be sworn in not three, but four times.
  • Woodrow Wilson’s second inauguration was the first to include women in its parade.
  • William McKinley’s inauguration was the first to be recorded using motion-picture technology.
  • John Quincey Adams was the first to wear long trousers during his inauguration, rather than the traditional knee-length.