Presidential Inaugurations
Read Digital EditionForeword, William SealeTaking the Oath of Office: The Capitol Connection, Donald R. Kennon"Not a Ragged Mob": The...
Presidential Inaugurations: Symbolic Gestures
Gallery
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America’s Cold War military strength was showcased during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1957 Inaugural Parade.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library, Washington, D.C. -
The Lincoln Inaugural Parade of 1861 included only one float, representing the U.S. Constitution and the Union.
Library of Congress -
For James A. Garfield's 1881 inauguration, large wooden arches were erected, adorned with coats of arms and mottoes of the states.
Library of Congress -
The Nixon Inaugural Parade of 1969 had a reduced military presence because of the unpopularity of the ongoing war in Vietnam.
National Archives and Records Administration
About this Gallery
Inaugural ceremonies are huge public events, and both presidents and inaugural planners have recognized their potential for symbolic gestures.
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