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The Ledger
On this day

January 20th

3 events recorded on The Ledger.

  1. 2001
    The Rise

    Colin Powell sworn in as Secretary of State

    Colin Luther Powell, retired four-star general and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is sworn in as the 65th Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. He is the first Black American to hold the office. His February 2003 United Nations address on Iraq later becomes a defining regret of his career.

  2. 2009
    The Rise

    Barack Obama inaugurated

    Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States on the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

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  3. 2021
    The Rise

    Kamala Harris inaugurated as Vice President

    Justice Sonia Sotomayor administers the oath of office to Kamala Devi Harris on the west front of the U.S. Capitol, making her the 49th Vice President of the United States. Harris holds a family Bible once owned by Thurgood Marshall.

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Timeline data: 159 events across The Ledger. See the full 400-year timeline →