Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration

by Emilie Le Beau

Illustration by Children's Book Illustrator Harry Bliss

Inauguration Information and Trivia for Kids

Parade, luncheon, ball. Being inaugurated sounds like fun. But what exactly is an inauguration? What happens? Here are answers to your most pressing questions:

Q: What is an inauguration?

An inauguration is a ceremony where an elected official assumes his or her new position. In the United States, the inauguration is the day the president-elect officially becomes the acting president. This day is celebrated with several traditions, including a parade and balls.

Q: What happens on the day of the inauguration?

The day begins by attending a church service. Not all presidents attend a service; Jimmy Carter had an interfaith prayer service at the Lincoln Memorial. Next, the outgoing president and president-elect, the vice president and vice president-elect, their families and other cabinet members proceed to the Capitol.

The vice-president-elect takes the oath of office first, and then it's the president-elect's turn to be sworn-in. President-elect Obama will be sworn-in outside the Capitol. The National Mall will be open to observers and at least 1.5 million people are expected to attend.

After the ceremony, the president gives the inaugural address. The outgoing president and first lady depart.

Next, the president enjoys a luncheon hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). The attendees are members of Congress and select guests.

After lunch, the president watches the inaugural parade, which is organized by the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee. The parade has marching bands, and people marching on foot and horseback.

The day concludes with the inaugural ball, and there may be several official balls for the president to attend. President Bill Clinton had 14 balls in 1997 and President George W. Bush had nine official balls in 2005.

Q: What's it like to attend the swearing-in ceremony?

The parade and ceremony seem glamorous on television; but watching it in person can be rough. The ceremony is held outside, and weather in Washington, D.C., is usually cold in late January. Rain is common, but observers aren't allowed to bring umbrellas.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) organizes the event and warns observers they must be prepared to stand for probably more than three hours and walk long distances. And the only bathrooms available are portable toilets.

Q: But the balls must be big fun, right?

The balls look really glamorous on television, but some attendees have complaints.

Before the 2001 inauguration of President George W. Bush, regular attendees complained to reporters that the balls are crowded, the coat-check lines are long and seating is limited.

Others said they were excited just to be in the same room as the president.

Q: Do kids attend the inauguration?

Presidents often have their children by their side during the swearing-in ceremony.

Chelsea Clinton stood next to her father when he took the oath in 1993. And two of vice-president Al Gore's children were present for a bell-ringing ceremony.

Other White House kids have also been part of the events. Amy Carter joined her father as he walked as the head of the inaugural parade in 1977.

Regular kids are allowed to observe the swearing-in ceremony. But strollers are forbidden and the PIC recommends leaving small kids at home.

Presidential Inauguration Trivia

The road to the White House is filled with fun facts. See if you can guess which president had a historic inauguration:

Q: Who had the shortest inaugural address?

A: George Washington, 133 words in 1793.

Q: Who had the longest inaugural address?

A:William H. Harrison, 8,445 words in 1841. He died 30 days later, and many believed the bad weather at his inauguration caused his pneumonia.

Q: Who was the last president to wear a stovepipe hat to the inauguration?

A: John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Q: Which president was inaugurated on Super Bowl Sunday?

A: Ronald Regan in 1985. The San Francisco 49ers won the championship.

Q: Who was the first president to have his inauguration broadcast on the Internet?

A: Bill Clinton in 1997.

The Obama Girls

Meet Malia and Sasha Obama, the nation's First Kids.

Malia is 10 years old and was born on July 4. She takes drama, dance, piano and tennis lessons. She also plays soccer, but her dad says she struggles with the sport because she is tall.

Younger sister Sasha is 7 years old and also takes piano, tennis, gymnastics and tap lessons.

Both currently attend the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. They will attend the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., the same school Chelsea Clinton attended when her dad was president.

The girls may be part of the first family, but they aren't royalty. They have to choose between a birthday party or presents from their parents.

For Malia's birthday, her friends went swimming, saw the movie "Wall-E" and made pizzas and sundaes.

Their chores include making their own bed, cleaning up their play area, setting the table and rinsing dishes.

They each get $1 per week in allowance, though their dad admits he sometimes forgets to pay up. At the White House, the staff has already been told not to clean up after Malia and Sasha. Both girls are expected to make their own bed every morning.

What happens if the Obama girls get in trouble? They can expect a lecture from mom and maybe some alone time. Michelle Obama will separate her daughters if they can't agree.

Black Americans in the White House

Slaves were forced to build the White House. Now a black family is moving into the White House. Much has happened in the 216 years in between. Here is a timeline of black Americans and the White House:

1792: Tom, Peter, Ben, Harry and Daniel five slaves are listed on the carpenter's roll for building the White House. Slaves worked seven days a week during warm months to construct the White House and U.S. Capitol.

1836: President James Madison dies. His slave Paul Jennings, who had served as the president's “manservant,” is sold twice before he purchases his freedom. He then writes an autobiography, “The Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison,” which provides details on the War of 1812, the construction of Washington, D.C., and a large-scale attempt to free slaves from the capital aboard the schooner Pearl.

1865: Black soldiers march for the first time during the parade for President Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration.

1901: Booker T. Washington is the first black American to receive a dinner invitation to the White House. He dines at the White House on Oct. 16 as a guest of President Theodore Roosevelt.

1914: Civil rights activist and journalist William Monroe Trotter is removed from the White House for challenging the segregation of white and black government clerks during a meeting with President Woodrow Wilson.

1929: Chicago representative Oscar De Priest is the first black American elected to Congress. A possible invitation for his wife to be invited to the White House for the congressional wives caused controversy. Under pressure, first lady Hoover invites Mrs. De Priest to a private tea party.

1939: First lady Eleanor Roosevelt invites singer Marian Anderson to perform at the White House after the Daughters of the American Revolution denies the singer a concert at Constitution Hall.

1955: E. Frederic Morrow becomes the first black American to serve in an executive position on a president's staff at the White House.

1960s: President Lyndon Johnson appoints black Americans to court and cabinet positions. He also invites black religious, civic and political leaders to the White House.

1989: Gen. Colin Powell is the first black American to be appointed to the nation's highest military post, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

2001: President George W. Bush appoints several black Americans to key positions. Condoleezza Rice eventually becomes Secretary of State.

2008: Senator Barack Obama is elected President of the United States.

Presidential Pets

The first family moves into the White House after Inauguration Day along with the family pet.

Obama has said he plans to follow through on his campaign promise to Sasha and Malia: a new dog. Many other presidential children also have brought pets to the White House. See if you can match the pet to the presidential family:

Match the Presidential Pet to its Owner

(Answers Below)

 

Reviewing Presidential Inaugural History

Obama Presidential Inauguration Schedule & Events

Obama Inauguration Facts, Trivia and Information for Kids

Memorable Lines from Past Presidential Inaugurals

Special Inaugural Crossword Puzzle

 

PET ANSWERS: 1 = C ; 2 = A ; 3 = B ; 4 = E ; 5 = D

 

 

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