Presidential Inaugurations
On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Later he said of this new presidential...
Sketch of Lincoln at the Willard
- Date of Work
- March 1861
- Medium
- Credit
- Library of Congress
Sketch of Lincoln at the Willard
President-elect Abraham Lincoln stayed at the Willard prior to his inauguration. Thomas Nast sketched this scene in the lobby of Lincoln sitting before the fire.
Abraham Lincoln in Willard's Hotel in Washington, on the eve of his inauguration, sitting by the fireplace, friendless and solitary, holding newspaper; March 1861. Reproduction of drawing by Thomas Nast. Illustrated in: Agnes Rogers, Abraham Lincoln, 1939.
You Might Also Like
-
-
Presidential Inaugurations: A Court of Honor
A reviewing stand is usually constructed for the use of the president during the inaugural parade, the necessity arising as...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: Celebrate New Times
Thomas Jefferson’s 1801 inaugural, the first held in the city of Washington, bore little resemblance to modern extravaganzas. Avoiding monarchical to...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: I Do Solemnly Swear
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution specifies the oath the president takes in assuming the responsibilities of this highest executive...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: The Inaugural Address
George Washington delivered the first inaugural address, invoking God’s guidance, demurring about his qualifications for presidential tasks, and declaring hi...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: Traditions & Transitions
The peaceful transfer of presidential power from one administration to the next is a hallmark of American democracy. This transition,...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: Symbolic Gestures
Inaugural ceremonies are huge public events, and both presidents and inaugural planners have recognized their potential for symbolic gestures. James...
-
Afternoon Accolades
Since the second inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant in 1873, inaugural reviewing stands— temporary pavilions built in front of the White Ho...
-
African Americans Enter Abraham Lincoln's White House, 1863-1865
The New Years’ Day reception became a White House tradition with President John Adams in 1801 and ended with President Herbert Ho...
-
Abraham Lincoln's White House
On a hot summer day in August 1864, Abraham Lincoln strolled from his Second-Floor office to the lawn outside the Executive...
-
Inauguration of 1861
On December 20, 1860, South Carolina seceded from the United States. Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas followed soon after. In...
-
Lincoln in the State Dining Room
For over 75 years, George Peter Alexander Healy’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln has remained an important aesthetic element for the Wh...