The coldest, the shortest and mishaps!
On this important day for the U.S. and the world, below are ten fun facts on U.S. inaugurations:
1. The Coldest Inauguration:
Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985 was so cold (7°F/-14°C with a wind chill of -20°F) that the ceremony had to be moved indoors, and the parade was cancelled (sound familiar?).
2, The Wettest Inauguration:
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second inauguration in 1937 saw over 1.77 inches of rain, forcing attendees to endure heavy downpours throughout the ceremony.
3. Shortest Inaugural Speech:
George Washington holds the record for the shortest inaugural address, delivering just 135 words during his second inauguration in 1793.
4. Longest Inaugural Speech:
William Henry Harrison spoke for nearly two hours in 1841, delivering an 8,445-word speech in freezing weather—he caught pneumonia and died a month later (there is some debate about the exact number, but most agree on it being the longest!)
5. First Televised Inauguration:
Harry Truman’s inauguration in 1949 was the first to be televised, bringing the event to millions of Americans in their homes.
6. The First President Sworn in by a Woman:
Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in aboard Air Force One by Judge Sarah T. Hughes after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963.
7. First African-American Performer at an Inauguration:
Marian Anderson, a famous opera singer, performed the national anthem at Dwight D. Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1957, breaking racial barriers.
8. The First Inauguration in Washington, D.C.:
Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration in 1801 was the first held in the nation’s new capital, Washington, D.C.
9. The First Inaugural Parade:
James Madison’s inauguration in 1809 featured the first official inaugural parade, with a band and military escort (there were informal parades before this date).
10. Oath-Taking Mishap:
During Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed the wording of the oath, requiring Obama to take it again the next day in private.