On Wed., Jan. 20, Joseph Biden was sworn in as the United State’s 46th president, and Kamala Harris became the nation’s first female vice president. 

Biden Chief Justice John Roberts administered Biden’s oath of office. Harris was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. 

In a speech to the nation, Biden addressed the “historic moment of crisis and challenge,” saying that “unity is the path forward.” He pledged to “be a president for all Americans,” including those who did not vote for him. 

Biden mentioned the recent attacks on the Capitol, but he spent the majority of the speech focusing on other challenges, like the coronavirus and associated economic downfall. He also referenced historical moments, from Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation to Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, in a call for strength and progress. 

The ceremony was sparsely attended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton were all present, as well as former vice president Mike Pence. Donald Trump did not attend, making him the first president in over 150 years to skip his successor’s inauguration.

The inauguration included performances by musical artists like Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Garth Brooks. Amanda Gorman, the youngest ever inaugural poet, also delivered a poem, “The Hill We Climb.”

Although Biden lost the presidential election by over 25% in Kentucky, many Dunbar students were happy to witness his inauguration.

“For the inauguration, me and my mom watched the entire thing and both of us were tearing up, especially when Kamala Devi Harris was sworn in,” sophomore Daksha Pillai said. “It felt like we had survived the darkness and fear of the last four years with the strength and hope to go forward through the crises we have now.”