51st Inauguration Reagan Bush

Photograph of the United States Capitol Building with inset portrait photographs of Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush.  A wavy section along the bottom of the button is divided into red, white and blue stripes.  White and blue text.

Since 1937, the inauguration for the President of the United States has taken place on January 20th. For Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985, the 20th fell on a Sunday. Electing to wait until the following day to hold the public ceremony, a private ceremony was held to officially begin Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush's second tenure in office. On the following day, the public ceremony was held at the United States Capitol Building. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger administered the presidential oath to Reagan while Associate Justice Potter Stewart administered Bush's oath of office. Due to the cold weather at the time, the inauguration cancelled many of its outdoors events, including the customary parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.