Up until last week, the only presidential inauguration I had a clear memory of watching was John F. Kennedy’s in 1961. I don’t know why I was at home watching it on television that day. I checked, and January 20, 1961 was a Friday. Did we get the day off from school? Belleville, New Jersey, my heavily Catholic town, was pretty excited about the first Catholic president, so maybe they closed the schools. Or maybe I was just home for lunch.
I had been desperately awaiting this day for more than two months, but the insurrection two weeks earlier had me terrified.
What I remember is not the “Ask not what your country can do for you” speech, although I have certainly heard it and read it myriad times since then. As a nine-year-old, I wasn’t focused on what he said, but rather on his Boston accent. He didn’t talk like anybody else I had ever heard. And even more than Kennedy, I remember Robert Frost, such an old man, 86 years old, trying to read the poem he had written for the inauguration. The swirling snow and the glare from the sun made it hard for him to see his paper, and he stumbled over the first few lines. Finally he gave up on that new poem, and recited another one, “The Gift Outright,” from memory. It started “The land was ours before we were the land’s.” For some reason, that stuck with me.
Over the next several decades, I might have watched some inaugurations, but I doubt it. I would not have been interested in seeing the ceremonies for Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, or either of the Bushes, and only slightly more interested in Carter. (I never appreciated Carter until long after he was out of the White House.)
Bill Clinton’s first inauguration, on January 20, 1993, should have been an exciting day for me. I had worked on a get out the vote campaign for Clinton and Gore, plus Feinstein and Boxer, who were both running for the Senate that year. The inauguration was on a Wednesday, and it would have been at 9:00 in the morning for me, since I was in California by then, so I was probably at work. I have no memory of watching it. I know that Maya Angelou recited a poem, and that she was only the second inaugural poet, there having not been another one in the thirty-two years since Robert Frost. But I never heard or read her poem, and I have no recollection of Clinton’s speech either.
I do have some memories of Barack Obama’s first inauguration, on January 20, 2009, which was a Tuesday. By then I was retired, and only had one child still at home, in seventh grade. Her school started at 9:00, so I would have been driving her to school and then returnng home around the time the inauguration began. I must have turned on the TV after I got home. I don’t have any memory of his speech, and I don’t think I knew about the inaugural poet, Elizabeth Alexander, until I read about her on Wikipedia (which says that her “poem and delivery were met with a poor reception”). What I do remember is Aretha Franklin, wearing an amazing hat, singing not the national anthem, but instead “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” I also remember a quartet consisting of Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and two other less famous musicians performing “Simple Gifts,” and then the outcry later when it turned out they had pre-recorded it and were just pretending to play, because the weather was too cold for their delicate instruments.
Four years ago, of course, I remember deliberately boycotting the inauguration of the orange monster, and spending that time preparing for the Sacramento Women’s March the next day, as well as packing for the trip to Florida I would take on the day after the march to see my dying mother.
Which brings us to the Biden inauguration last week, on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. This was a day I had been desperately awaiting for more than two months, ever since Biden’s victory had been confirmed on November 7, 2020, the Saturday after the election. But now I was terrified, because of the insurrection that had taken place at the Capitol exactly two weeks before. I was convinced that, no matter how good the security was, one crackpot would manage to slip through. All it would take was one. I wanted them to hold the ceremony in a bunker in an undisclosed location, and just have everyone watch it online. Here at Retrospect, we even scheduled this Inaugurations prompt to go live 10 days after the event rather than on the immediately following Saturday just in case there was chaos that needed time to be processed.
I’m glad the Biden-Harris team was not frightened off by the insurrectionists, and chose to go ahead with the public ceremony at the Capitol. It was a beautiful ceremony, every touch adding something to it. Watching Amy Klobuchar’s opening remarks, I was reminded of how much I liked her during the primary season, among the throng of Democratic candidates. At that time I was not a fan of Kamala Harris or of Joe Biden, although once they became the nominees, I swore I would never say another negative word about either one. And in fact I have grown to admire both of them tremendously since that time.
Lady Gaga’s rendition of the national anthem was magnificent, and we all know it is not an easy song to sing. Then Jennifer Lopez, in white from head to toe, performed a medley of “This Land is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful,” which fit together surprisingly well. During the bridge between the two she yelled something in Spanish, which I only later learned was the last line of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag – “Una nación, bajo Dios, indivisible, con libertad y justicia para todos.” But even without knowing what she was saying, it was so meaningful to hear Spanish spoken on that stage after the events of the last four years. And Woody Guthrie’s song, “This Land is Your Land,” written in reaction to the hypocritical patriotism of his day that ignored the plight of Depression victims seemed an appropriate reminder of where we had been. Listening to JLo made me feel that maybe this land really was made for you and me once again.
it was all so moving that I felt close to tears. Biden’s inaugural address was excellent, although I’m not sure it produced a sound bite like “ask not what your country can do for you.” He told us that, just as Lincoln had said his whole soul was in the Emancipation Proclamation, his whole soul was in bringing America together. He also asked the people who did not support him to take a measure of his heart, which I thought was a powerful phrase, and in stark contrast to his predecessor who didn’t seem to have a heart at all.
Her ring with a caged bird was a gift from Oprah
After the inaugural address, and a so-so performance by Garth Brooks (I had to wonder why he was invited), came the most memorable moment of the day, provided by Amanda Gorman, age 22, Harvard class of 2020. She was erroneously introduced by Senator Roy Blunt as “our nation’s first ever National Poet Laureate,” but in fact she is the first ever National YOUTH Poet Laureate. Her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” was spell-binding, both in its writing and in her delivery. I have watched it several times on youtube since that day, and it continues to amaze me. The way she plays with words is incredible. One of my favorite lines:
On the Friday after the inauguration, the Sacramento Bee had a big story with the headline Proud Sacramento grandmother watches poet Gorman shine. It seems that Amanda’s grandmother, Bertha Gaffney Gorman, lives in Sacramento and was a reporter at the Bee in the 1970s, one of the only Black reporters in the newsroom at the time, after which she went on to a career with the State Assembly. She and Amanda have a close relationship, and Amanda and her siblings often visited Sacramento during their vacations, which means I have a double connection to Amanda, through Sacramento and through Harvard. I feel very proud of those connections!
The ten days since the inauguration have made me realize all the stress I have been carrying for the last four years, now that it is gone. I feel so relaxed knowing our country is in good hands. When I come downstairs for breakfast in the morning, I can look at the front page of the newspaper without cringing. What a relief! Before I would avoid the front page altogether, because I didn’t want to read about the horrible actions the previous administration was taking. Everything is not perfect even now, of course, and probably never will be, but the government is being run by people who are smart, who care, and who believe in science. So I can stop worrying.
Now I just have to keep looking for my chance to get the Covid vaccine! And in a week I will tune in to the Super Bowl, because Amanda will be reciting another poem there.
Suzy
I was eight years old when Kennedy was inaugurated, Suzy and I remember bits of it vividly, though I was only home on lunch break. The rest I’ve only seen or read about. As you will know when you read my story, I haven’t watched many others, but the Biden-Harris this past week was memorable and yes, Amanda Gorman was the star (though I loved regal GaGa too). I, too, have been reading every snippet about her (she has signed with a big modeling agency). Cool that she has a connection to Sacramento, so you can claim Harvard and hometown! And I look forward to what she’ll do at the Super Bowl for those fans. That will be interesting.
You were eight, I was nine, and we both remember bits of it vividly. Funny how some things stick with you for your whole life. I look forward to reading your story to learn your version of events then and now.
Thank you for this great story about inaugurations, Suzy. In fact, while I remembered Frost’s struggles in 1961, I had forgotten that he ultimately changed poems.
And you particularly capture the Biden inauguration, not only in words and pictures, but in the emotions so many of us shared about ridding ourselves of the Trump stain and somehow moving forward with hope and optimism. It already seems historic, though only ten days ago, and you have so well described why. And yes, as I noted in my comment to Betsy’s story, we can now all watch proud granddaughter of Sacramento and Harvard grad Amanda at the Super Bowl. Who cares what teams are playing, right?
Incidentally, I think Garth Brooks was invited as an act of inclusion — or at least outreach — to the country and western crowd which is typically Red State and redneck. So I give credit to the inauguration committee for the invitation and to Brooks for accepting it. And I’d like to think, probably naively, that his warm post-song fist bumps and hugs with the previous presidents and first ladies of both parties, while hardly COVID protocol, might have sent out a good message as well.
I’m sure you’re right about Garth Brooks, but they should have invited a better country singer. I was not impressed with his rendition of Amazing Grace. But since I loved everything else about the inauguration, I can’t complain too much about that.
Inauguration 2021 was indeed a hell of a day; joyous and terrifying. As has been every day since, it seems!
For me, the days since the inauguration have been more joyous than terrifying, Dave. Sorry if they are still terrifying for you.
I’m mainly terrified by what the events of 1/6 laid bare. Not the fact that we have a significant white supremacist/Neo-Nazi problem (which has been obvious for quite a while) but how LARGE it is.
Suzy, I am amazed by how similar our feelings were about Biden’s inauguration. Like you, I was terrified something bad would happen. I love the images you included and will tune in to the Super Bowl to hear Amanda Gorman speak again. Thank you for summing up so well how many of us felt that day, and for telling me what JLo said in Spanish (although didn’t she also sneak in her new song?).
Laurie, I look forward to reading your story. I remember the story you posted on Medium on Inauguration Day about weeping tears of joy and relief, which described my own feelings as well. I think reading what you wrote then helped me figure out what I wanted to say.
JLo’s “Let’s Get Loud” is an old song, not a new one, but she did sneak that in!
Great recap, Suzy, and it’s interesting that I have the identical memories to yours of Kennedy’s inauguration. I remember the frosty breath coming out of everyone’s mouths and Robert Frost struggling with the poem. In the latest about Amanda Gorman, I received an email from a woman who teaches Israeli poetry to English speakers, and she has translated “The Hill We Climb” into Hebrew! She doesn’t provide transliteration, so I can’t really read it, but it’s a tribute to how far Amanda’s reputation has spread.
Great that Amanda’s poem was translated into Hebrew, but I have to think that a lot of the wordplay cannot be translated – like “just is” and “justice,” to give one example. We are certainly going to be hearing a lot more about Amanda, and not just at the Super Bowl. The Harvard Admissions office is already talking about “the Amanda Gorman effect” leading students to decide to go there over other equally good choices!
What a good summary of what a lot of us probably felt about this year’s inauguration. I wrote about an earlier one, but I’m glad to see you did this one justice. Joe Biden was not my first choice in the primaries either, but I came to feel that he is the right choice for this time. He was able to be the grownup in the room during the final weeks of tantrums by the outgoing president.
Thanks, Kath! I think “the grownup in the room” is the perfect description of Joe Biden.
Thanks for this thoughtful recap, Suzy, about previous inaugurations as I remember very little about any of them. As for this one, I, too, thought something very bad would happen and thought it should have been held in an undisclosed location, but of course now I’m happy it wasn’t. It was just what we needed to pick up our spirits and lead us forward. You have also inspired me to read and/or listen to Amanda’s poetry again…she really is something else! (P.S. Just got my first Covid vaccine…and no side effects!)
Interesting that you remember so little of previous inaugurations. But if there were ever one worth remembering, it was the one last week, for so many reasons! There are lots of clips of Amanda reading her poetry on youtube, although I can’t find the first one that I saw, about a year ago, where she was in some public building in LA (I thought it was the library, but that search didn’t yield any results).
Wonderful Suzy!
Like you I worried about holding an outdoor inauguration, but I realize the right decision was made and thankfully there was no violence in DC or at the state capitols. All was so well planned, so beautifully executed, and so hopeful, and what a delight that a lovely 22-year-old Black poet encouraged us to see the light, and stole the show as she did it!
Hallelujah!
Yes, hallelujah!
This was a nice medley, a tour through where you might have been in earlier inaugurations combined with a thorough exegesis of the most current one. The only part I can’t identify with is saying that “the stress is over.” I hope that lasts for a while but I think we need to be ready for the pillagers and predators to come at us with full force.
Well, my stress is gone. Sorry you can’t relate. I know there are still enemies out there, but I, for one, have stopped worrying for now, and it feels great!