The first
inauguration of
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
as the
34th president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
was held on Tuesday, January 20, 1953, at the East Portico of the
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
This was the 42nd inauguration and marked the commencement of the first term of Dwight D. Eisenhower as president and of
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
as
vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
.
Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson administered the
presidential oath of office to Eisenhower. The
vice presidential oath was administered to Nixon by
Senator William Knowland
William Fife Knowland (June 26, 1908 – February 23, 1974) was an American politician and newspaper publisher. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from California from 1945 to 1959. He was Senate Majority Le ...
.
During the Oath, Eisenhower said the line "the office of President of the United States" as "the office of ''the'' President of the United States," even as chief justice Vinson said the line correctly.
Eisenhower placed his hand on two
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
s when he recited the oath: the
Bible used by George Washington in 1789, opened to II Chronicles 7:14; and his own personal "West Point Bible," opened to Psalm 33:12. Afterward, he recited his own prayer, rather than kissing the Bible.
Inaugural committee
The 1953
United States Congress Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies A Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is a Select or special committee (United States), special Joint Committee of the United States Congress, joint committee of the United States Congress formed every four years to manage United States presiden ...
, the group responsible for the planning and execution of the Inauguration, was composed of:
*Senator
Styles Bridges (R-
NH), Chairman
*Senator
Carl T. Hayden (
D-
AZ)
*
Representative
Representative may refer to:
Politics
* Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people
* House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities
* Legislator, som ...
Leslie C. Arends (R-
IL)
*Representative
Joseph W. Martin (R-
MA)
*Representative
Sam Rayburn (D-
TX)
See also
*
1952 United States presidential election
The 1952 United States presidential election was the 42nd quadrennial presidential election and was held on Tuesday, November 4, 1952. Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower won a landslide victory over Democrat Adlai Stevenson II, which ended 20 ye ...
*
Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower
*
Second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower
The second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower as president of the United States was held privately on Sunday, January 20, 1957, at the White House and publicly on the following day, Monday, January 21, 1957, at the East Portico of the United St ...
References
External links
* (with audio)
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Text of Eisenhower's First Inaugural AddressAudio of Eisenhower's First Inaugural Address
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eisenhower, Dwight D. 1953
1953 in Washington, D.C.
1953 in American politics
Inauguration 1953
United States presidential inaugurations
January 1953 events in the United States