Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, declaring that “democracy has prevailed” and summoning American resilience and unity.
Biden took the oath at a U.S. Capitol that had been battered by an insurrectionist siege just two weeks earlier.
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On a cold Washington morning dotted with snow flurries, the ceremony unfolded within a circle of security forces evocative of a war zone and devoid of crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, Biden gazed out over 200,000 American flags planted on the National Mall to symbolize those who could not attend in person.
In case you missed the big event (hey, some of us had to work!), we thought we’d gather some videos showing all the key moments.
The arrivals
Vice President Kamala Harris wore purple, first lady Jill Biden donned a powder blue look, and former first lady Michelle Obama’s pantsuit and belt made fashion waves, as well.
The videos above show some arrivals.
Lady Gaga’s powerful national anthem
We could have guessed Gaga would deliver on her national anthem. In a dress that was reminiscent of “The Hunger Games,” perhaps, Lady Gaga gave an incredible performance -- watch it for yourself.
J-Lo’s performance
And of course, we’d be remiss not to mention Jennifer Lopez’s inauguration medley, which included the fun and upbeat “Let’s Get Loud.”
Harris is sworn in
What a groundbreaking moment: We now have our nation’s first female vice president.
New VP Kamala Harris made history when Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor swore her in as the first Black and South Asian woman to serve in this role.
(But did anyone else hear that mispronunciation?) For what it’s worth, Sotomayor did say “Kuh-MAH-luh” instead of “COMMA-luh.”
Joe Biden’s oath, on his family’s Bible
Biden took the oath with his hand on a 5-inch-thick Bible that has been in his family for 128 years, the Associated Press reported.
At age 78, he is the oldest president inaugurated.
Above is his whole speech, at just more than 20 minutes, if you’d like to listen to it in its entirety.
Garth Brooks’ “Amazing Grace”
This a capella rendition will give you chills.
Amanda Gorman’s lovely speech
It seemed like Gorman was the star of the show. Can you believe she’s only 22? The young poet’s words resonated with many.