A look back at inauguration days throughout history

By Chloe Wynne,

Published January 20, 2025 at 7:56 AM EST

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (R) is sworn in as the 35th US President by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren (L) on January 20, 1961 at United States Capitol Building, Washington DC, during inaugural ceremony, as First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (L), former President Dwight D. Eisenhower (2nd L), former Vice President Richard Nixon (2nd R behind Kennedy) and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson (3rd R, behind Kennedy) look on. John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963) became the 35th President of the United States on January 20, 1961 and was the first Catholic, and the youngest to be elected to this office. He was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas, during an electoral tour.

Every four years on January 20th, Washington, D.C. braces for the start of a new presidency. Inauguration days date back to 1789 when George Washington was the first American president sworn into office.

This hour, we’re joined by a member of the White House Historical Association and a history professor from Eastern Connecticut State University to walk through Inaugural history.

And this year, Inauguration Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day observances fall on the same date for the first time in 28 years. Our guests explain how this overlap may impact the day’s processions.

GUESTS:

Thomas Balcerski, Presidential Historian, Eastern Connecticut State University
Matthew Costello, Chief Education Officer, White House Historical Association

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