By Brian Boone
Of the many activities and events associated with Inauguration Day, few were observed by president number one, George Washington. Most were adopted later, over the course of the last 200 years’ worth of incoming presidential parties.
January 20
From the 1700s until well into the 20th century, new presidents took office in March. Transportation and communication used to take a lot longer, and the incoming government needed four months to get everyone necessary to Washington. With the adoption of cars, phones, and the telegraph, a shorter transition period was necessitated. In 1933, Congress ratified the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, changing Inauguration Day to January 20. It essentially went into effect in 1937, with Franklin Roosevelt’s second inauguration.
Inauguration Luncheon
After the oath of office ceremony, the newly sworn in President and Vice President are the guests of honor at a fancy luncheon event put on by the leaders of the U.S. Senate. Held at Statuary Hall inside the Capitol building, it’s the first official event attended by the new heads of state, and so it’s customary for the outgoing President and Vice President to gracefully bow out and not attend the lunch. This has been the way it’s been since the first inaugural luncheon held in 1953.
The Inaugural Parade
Perhaps the centerpiece of Inauguration Day, apart from the incoming Commander-in-Chief taking the oath of office and giving a speech, is the Inaugural Parade. In 1805, Thomas Jefferson’s second inauguration included a procession of workers from the Washington Navy Yard and a military band marched alongside the new president as he rode a horse from the Capitol to the White House. It grew to include more clubs, veterans groups, and marching bands over the years, and floats were introduced in 1841 to honor William Henry Harrison. The current format and length — beginning at the Capitol and spanning 1.5 miles around the National Mall and ending at the White House — was established at the inauguration of James Garfield in 1881. Presidents walk as much of the journey as they’re able, a tradition started by Jimmy Carter in 1977.
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The Reception
The first time a new president invited the general public into an official inauguration event: 1829. In the late afternoon of his Inauguration Day, President Andrew Jackson invited literally anyone to the White House to come celebrate with him. In the days before the Secret Service and most kinds of security, a whopping 20,000 people showed up; Jackson escaped the crush of people by sneaking out a White House window. Receptions continued as smaller, invite-only affairs until 1989, when President George Bush authorized a limited “White House American Welcome” open house event the day after his inauguration.
Inaugural Prayer Service
The day after the Inauguration, or January 21, the new president participates in a religious service. Ordained clergy from multiple religions and Christian denominations deliver invocations, benedictions, and prayers asking deities for strength and blessing for the new administration. While first president George Washington held an Inaugural Prayer months after he took the oath of office in June 1789, the idea of a solemn, interdenominational religious meeting was first held the day after Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated for the second time in January 1937.