First inauguration of Ronald Reagan

The 1981 Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the group responsible for the planning and execution of the inauguration, was composed of: Ronald Reagan wore a stroller for daytime, and white tie for the inaugural ball. ==Oath of office==

Reagan recited the following, as prescribed by the Constitution: ==Inaugural address and release of hostages==

Reagan's inaugural address was 2,452 words long. It utilized the vista offered by the West Front, invoking the symbolism of the presidential memorials and Arlington National Cemetery in the distance. The Reverend Donn Moomaw, pastor of the Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, where Reagan and his wife, Nancy, worshipped, gave the invocation and benediction at the ceremony, and said: "We thank you, O God, for the release of our hostages." For the only time, the National Christmas Tree on the ellipse near the White House was lighted on an Inauguration Day, and it was done to mark the release of the hostages. People wrapped the country in yellow ribbons, plastered freedom messages on billboards, and started preparations for welcoming the freed hostages home. The yellow-ribbon became a symbol of the solidarity of Americans with the hostages. The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was bathed in light, the Empire State Building lit in red, white, and blue, and the Boston Fire Department sounded gongs to hail deliverance of the hostages. ==Weather==

The noontime temperature on the day of the inauguration was , unseasonably warm for Washington, D.C., in January. == Inaugural gala ==

On the eve of the inauguration, ABC hosted an All-Star Inaugural Gala on January 19, 1981. The ceremony was hosted by Johnny Carson and included performances from Bob Hope, James Stewart, Ben Vereen, Ethel Merman, Charlton Heston, Rich Little, and Frank Sinatra. ==See also==