The day has arrived! Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, and many of us are breathing huge sighs of relief. There were all the ceremonial traditions and a few new and different ones. Trump is the first president to hold a rally-style parade. 

Our first president George Washington traveled from Mount Vernon, Virginia, to New York for his inauguration, employing a coach, horseback, and a barge to get him there. Our 47th president's entrance to Washington, D.C. was much simpler, with a flight on "Special Air Mission 47" which reverted back to Air Force One upon his swearing-in.

The First Inauguration gave rise to many traditions that continue today. For example, President Washington followed his swearing-in with an Inaugural Address, a special speech written for the occasion. In 1793, the oath of office for Washington's second term was administered by William Cushing, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and the first in a long line of Supreme Court Justices to preside over Presidential Inaugurations.

Special Air Mission 47 is the callsign. The callsign Air Force 1 is used only when a sitting president is aboard. https://t.co/QNwahWz3dC

— baldilocks (@JulietteAkinyi) January 19, 2025

For this final installment in the inauguration series, we talk about the inaugural balls.

According to the White House Archives, Washington danced the minuet after his second inauguration in 1789. Fourth President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison were the first to participate in an official Inaugural Ball. These soirees grew with each president, Eighth President Martin Van Buren had two balls, and Ninth President William Henry Harrison held three. 

Four Presidents chose to cancel their inaugural balls: Number 46, Joe Biden because of the pandemic. Number 14, President Franklin Pierce canceled his because of the recent death of his son. Number 28, President Woodrow Wilson felt it was too expensive, and Number 29, President Warren G. Harding ended the practice because it was frivolous. America would not see another inaugural ball until after World War II, when they came back with a vengeance.

It was Number 33, Harry S Truman who reinstated the inaugural ball tradition. Number 34, Dwight D. Eisenhower, held two at his first inauguration and expanded it to four at his second. Number 35, John F. Kennedy held a total of five inaugural balls.

Number 39, President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter felt the term "inaugural ball" was too formal and opted to call them, "parties" instead. In typical Hollywood fashion, Number 40, President Ronald Reagan, and First Lady Nancy Reagan introduced the first white-tie inaugural ball and expanded the tradition to NINE different balls. Number 42, President Bill Clinton said hold my... well, whatever. At his second inaugural, Clinton held 14 inaugural balls. Number 44, President Barack Obama, had a combination of 10 official inaugural balls and over 100 unofficial parties. 

Trump 45-47 chose a compact three inaugural balls for his first and second inauguration. If you have been following RedState's front page, he and the first family have had a packed day, and as I write Trump is signing executive orders and sparring with the White House press corps. As the Obamas did, there are a number of unofficial events peppered throughout D.C., and if you are like my family, small and large celebrations at homes across the country.

As our President said in his inaugural address, "For American citizens, January 20, 2025 is 'Liberation Day!' 

God Bless President Donald Trump, and God Bless America.