My Fellow Americans: Presidents and Their Inaugural Addresses

Live at the National Constitution Center

The day after the 2025 presidential inauguration, leading presidential historians and contributors to the recently published compendium My Fellow Americans: Presidents and Their Inaugural Addresses, Michael Gerhardt, Kate Masur, and Ted Widmer, reflect on inaugural addresses throughout history and how they relate to a president’s legacy. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

Resources:

• Yuvraj Singh and Ted Widmer, My Fellow Americans: Presidents and Their Inaugural Addresses (2024)
• Martin Van Buren, Inaugural Address (March 4, 1837)
• Donald Trump, Second Inaugural Address (Jan. 20, 2025)
• Andrew Jackson, First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1829)
• Andrew Jackson, Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1833)
• Grover Cleveland, Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1893)
• Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1861)
• Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address (March 4, 1865)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1933)
• John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address (Jan. 20, 1961)
• Joe Biden, Inaugural Address (Jan. 20, 2021)

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