“Sunday afternoon brought thousands of people to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C to launch the 56th Presidential Inauguration. According to the Washington Post around 400,000 people came together to celebrate the incoming president. The A-list line-up helped bring out people to the event but no one could touch the iconic status of President Barack Obama.”
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Sunday afternoon brought thousands of people to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C to launch the 56th Presidential Inauguration.

According to the Washington Post around 400,000 people came together to celebrate the incoming president.

The A-list line-up helped bring out people to the event but no one could touch the iconic status of President Barack Obama.

In a rather short speech Obama thanked and welcomed people to Washington D.C before touching on the challenges the country is facing.

In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now, Obama said.

But despite all of this — despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead — I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail, that the dream of our founders will live on in our time.

The speech brought on chants of Obama from the crowd that stretched past the reflecting pool back to the Washington monument.

As I stand here today, what gives me the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us today, but what fills the spaces in between, the former Illinois senator said. It is you — Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there.

While Obama may have been the person most had come to see, the celebrities kept spirits high through the chilly temperatures.

Jon Bon Jovi, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington and many more joined the cast of the concerts.

Either singing or reading passages addressing the past of the country and its leaders, Jamie Foxx took a jab at the now president.

Mocking Obama’s voice he said, If there’s anyone who doubts that America is not a place where anything is still possible tonight is your answer.

Where as Denzel Washington reiterated one of the points that Obama’s campaign focused on.

We are not a collection of red states or blue states we are the United States, Washington said.

Throughout the concert clips from Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy’s inauguration along with other historical events that have taken place under Lincolns watchful eyes played on screens throughout the Federal Triangle. Those who spoke touched on other major events that have taken place in the past. Samuel L. Jackson spoke of Rosa Parks’ bus ride.

In 1955 tired from herlong day of work she brought that distant hope one step closer by the simple act of refusing to move to the back of the bus, Jackson said. He followed by giving Parks thoughts on that day. He then turned and pointed to the events of that happened 46 years ago when Dr. Martin Luther King stood on the step of the Lincoln Memorial and led what became known as the March on Washington.

As the speakers talked about the history of the inauguration may of the musicians sang about it.

U2 performed two songs one for its meaning and one at the request of President Obama.

Not just an American dream, also an Irish dream, Europe dream, African dream, Israeli dream and Palestine Dream, lead singer Bono said during ‘In the Name of Love’ which was inspired by Dr. Kings message. The other song was the ‘City of Blinding Lights’, which was one of Obama campaign songs.

The concert matched up contemporary musicians with legendary counterparts, such as Sheryl Crow and will.i.am with Herbie Hancock who performed Bob Marley’s One Love.

Usher and Shakira teamed up with Stevie Wonder who sang Higher Ground.Vice-President Joe Biden spoke of hard work in the country both past and present.

We were taught that anyone could make it if they were given a fair chance, Biden said. That’s how I came to believe, to the very core of my being, that work is more than a paycheck. Its about dignity its about respect.

Biden talked about the Americans he has seen since the election and their commitment to hard work, pointing to the buildings and statues of surrounding Washington D.C.

We owe them the chance to go to work each day knowing that they have the thanks of a grateful nation, Biden said in closing.

The message of the concert was clear and it was something that the president-elect reiterated at the closing of his speech.

It is the same thing that gave me hope from the day we began this campaign for the presidency nearly two years ago; a belief that if we could just recognize ourselves in one another and bring everyone together, Obama said. Democrats, Republicans, independents; Latino, Asian and Native American; black and white, gay and straight, disabled and not — then not only would we restore hope and opportunity in places that yearned for both, but maybe, just maybe, we might perfect our union in the process.

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” #1.1360649:1252355221.jpg:149_20090118_inauguration_opening_as_sm.jpg:President Obama waves to the crowd after speaking at the Opening Inaugural Ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Sunday afternoon in Washington D.C.:Allison Strouse / The Buchtelite”
“#1.1360648:2247544545.jpg:103_20090118_inauguration_opening_as_sm.jpg:Bono, of U2, performs during the Opening Inaugural Ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Numerous celebrities performed and spoke at the event including Bruce Springsteen and Jack Black.:Allison Strouse / The Buchtelite “