Obama’s second inaguration will have a unique twist

Barack Obama will once again make history when he is sworn in as president in January 2013, but not in the way you might think. Traditionally, as directed by the Constitution, a president is sworn in at “noon on the 20th day of January” following a presidential election. However, this coming January 20 falls on a Sunday, so for only the third time in US history the inauguration ceremony will be moved to the following day, a Monday. It will also make him the first ever president to be inaugurated on Martin Luther King Day, which in 2013 falls on January 21. Previous presidents whose inauguration days had to be moved were Woodrow Wilson, Zachary Taylor, and Rutherford Hayes. Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan had their public inaugurations moved as well, but held private swearing in ceremonies on the 20th.