![]() "Our nation is at war our economy is in crisis."īut he told the crowd that, looking at their faces, he was reminded why he ran for president in the first place. "In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now," Obama said. He repeated his warning that the challenges currently facing America are daunting. Obama, who could be seen singing along at times, gave a brief speech at the end of the concert that contained both optimism and caution. Video from the concert at the Lincoln Memorial: On January 18, despite cold temperatures, a crowd of some 75,000 gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in downtown Washington to watch an inauguration concert featuring Hollywood celebrities like Tom Hanks and Queen Latifah, and musical artists U2 and Bruce Springsteen. Capitol, and all federal agencies, is spending almost $50 million to accommodate and protect an expected crowd of almost 2.5 million spectators and participants. The tiny District of Columbia, which is home to the White House, the U.S. This particular inauguration is set to break all records: it will be the most costly, most security-conscious, and most watched in U.S. Obama will be sworn into office one day after the country observes Martin Luther King Day, a holiday that honors the inspirational black civil rights leader. Others include the inclusion of soul singer Aretha Franklin, evangelical megachurch leader Rick Warren, and a young poet to deliver the traditional inaugural poem.Įven without those details, the country's 56th presidential inauguration would be anything but traditional: Obama is the first black president elected in the country's history - a milestone many Americans considered impossible not long ago. Using Lincoln's Bible is one of a few personal touches that Obama has put on the inaugural ceremony. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, who, like Obama, was an Illinois legislator before he rose to the presidency. ![]() Lincoln, America's 16th president, served from 1861 until his assassination in 1865 and is widely revered for having preserved national unity by winning the Civil War and ending the practice of slavery. Photographs are available on the inauguration committee website.WASHINGTON - When Barack Obama takes the oath of office on January 20, he will do so upon the Bible that his personal political hero, Abraham Lincoln, used for his own swearing in, in 1861. Taney, Chief Justice of the said Court, administered to His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, the oath of office as President of the United States. Annotated in the back of the volume, along with the Seal of the Supreme Court, is the following: "I, William Thomas Carroll, clerk of the said court do hereby certify that the preceding copy of the Holy Bible is that upon which the Honble. The 1,280-page Bible was published in 1853 by the Oxford University Press. The book is 15 cm long, 10 cm wide, and 4.5 cm deep when closed. In the center of the top cover is a shield of gold wash over white metal with the words "Holy Bible" chased into it. The Bible itself is bound in burgundy velvet with a gold-washed white metal rim around the three outside edges of both covers. The Lincoln family Bible, which is also in the Library of Congress's collection, was unavailable for the ceremony because it was packed away with the First Family's belongings, still en route from Springfield, IL, to their new home at the White House. The Bible was originally purchased by William Thomas Carroll, Clerk of the Supreme Court, for use during Lincoln's swearing-in ceremony on March 4, 1861. The President-elect is committed to holding an Inauguration that celebrates America's unity, and the use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage. President-elect Obama is deeply honored that the Library of Congress has made the Lincoln Bible available for use during his swearing-in. From Presidential Inaugural Committee Executive Director Emmett Beliveau:
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