The Presidential inauguration, as well as the peaceful transition of power, are two of the main traditions that follow each new president of the United States. However, this year the transition of power cannot be called “peaceful,” and the presidential inauguration is not going to be as traditional as the rest.
Usually, the inauguration of a president is a moment that brings a country together with hope and a festivity of new opportunities.
The proceedings of presidential inaugurations are ruled not by law — but by tradition. The constitution states the oath the president must take and the day of the inauguration; other than that there is no regulation for the events that must take place.
Many of the traditions started with the inauguration of George Washignton in the first capital of the United States, New York. In his inauguration, George Washignton started the tradition of having invited guests to the inauguration by inviting James Madison and his wife Dolley. He also danced the minuet (a typical french dance) after his inauguration, which translates into today’s annual performances.
In 1805, after Thomas Jefferson’s second inauguration, he rode to the President House with music playing and people gathered. Through the years, this became the inaugural parade that has partaken ever since then with most presidents. Even so that Abraham Lincoln used it to make a statement by being the first president who invited African Americans to participate in said parade.
However, this year there will be no parade, and there will not be a state of peace. Washignton is still emotionally recovering from the events of January 6, and even if those events hadn’t occurred, the Biden administration would have rather followed the COVID safety guidelines.
This inauguration will traditionally start with the oaths from the President and the Vice-President. Then, it will follow with the inaugural speech from President Joe Biden addressing the countries’ current concerns and laying out his vision for the future of the country. Due to safety concerns —both from COVID and possible thugs— the attendance of this speech will be limited to congress members, supreme court judges, and some important figures.
During the inauguration ceremony Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem, and we will have a performance by Jennifer Lopez, Garth Brooks, and also 22 year old poet, Amanda Gorman, who will do a reading during the inauguration. All of this will be happening as Washington D.C. is on lockdown and the military is heavily employed for safety measures.
Then, the Pass in Review will take place. The Pass in Review is a military ceremony where the President, First Lady, Vice-President, and Second Gentleman receive the support of the military and represent the transition to a new Commander in Chief. Next, we will have the traditional Wreath Laying ceremony to the tomb of the unknown soldier and the Presidential Escort.
However, due to these special circumstances we will have an event never seen before. The Virtual Parade Across America promises to bring about performances from all 56 states and territories. The presentation will feature Jon Stewart, New Radicals, Olympians Nathan Chen, Allyson Felix, Katie Ledecky, viral sensation skateboarder Nathan Apodaca, and many more.
In addition, another special program will take place. Hosted by Tom Hanks, and with performances of Demi Lovato, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, etc. the prime-time program Celebrating America will take place and conclude the night. This 90 minute program brings all types of artistic performances and promises to be worth watching.
Also taking part in the event are Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, José Andrés and Dolores Huerta.
In general, the inauguration of the president always marks the beginning of an era in the United States. Due to all the events going on in the world and in the United States right now, the significance of this event is greater than any other.
