Joseph R. Biden and Kamala D. Harris are inaugurated
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
History was made at the Capitol building in Washington D.C on Wednesday, as Joseph R. Biden was
inaugurated into office as the 46th President of the United States, and Kamala Harris was elected as Vice
President being the first woman and person of color to hold the position.
The morning began at church where Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris and their families, sat at a
traditional mass as like any other inauguration day, and by eleven o’clock the families started to arrive at the
capitol building.
Appearances were made by former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michele Obama.
Bill and Hillary Clinton also made an appearance, along with George and Laura Bush.
Former President Donald Trump, who lost to Joe Biden, did not make an appearance, making him
the first former president not to do so since Andrew Jackson in 1837. Former Vice President Mike Pence,
however, did attend the event with former Second Lady Karen Pence.
Despite not being at the inauguration, Donald Trump did follow through with another inaugural
tradition. Trump did leave a letter for Joe Biden, “The president wrote a very generous letter,” President
Biden said. “Because it was private, I won’t talk about it until I talk to him, but it was very generous.”
Because of Covid-19, the momentous day in the U.S. was scaled down by 99%, literally, as a crowd
of 1,000 looked on as Joe Biden became the 46th U.S. president. The event usually draws over 200,000
people to gather at the national mall, but that didn’t happen this year because of the threats of Coronavirus.
Despite the limitations, inauguration day was one like no other. After Joe Biden was sworn in with
his over 100 year old family bible, and Kamala Harris was sworn in on Thurgood Marshall’s bible, Amanda
Gorman became the youngest inaugural poet, doing so giving a tear wrenching poem, in the history of
presidential inaugurations
The night followed with the traditional parade to the White House, which was scaled down due to the
pandemic, and the evening ended with fireworks and a concert featuring Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Bruce
Springsteen, and many others.
President Joe Biden is expected to enact several executive orders within his first few weeks of office
including a new Covid-19 relief plan and several other plans targeting racial inequality, and economic relief.
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