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The 2013 presidential inauguration in 15 GIFs

While Twitter may have been the place to find second-by-second updates on President Barack Obama's historic inaugural speech, Tumblr is where Monday's star-studded festivities got animated.

 

Fernando Alfonso III

Tech

Posted on Jan 21, 2013   Updated on Jun 2, 2021, 3:07 am CDT

While Twitter may have been the place to find second-by-second updates on President Barack Obama’s historic inaugural speech, Tumblr is where Monday’s star-studded festivities got animated.

Obama’s second inauguration was attended by music giants Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé, and James Taylor—and 700,000 people who enjoyed the 45-degree day. 

One of the most memorable moments was when Obama addressed the LGBT community. Portions of the following quote were retweeted and favorited more than 25,000 times, GigaOm’s Mathew Ingram tweeted.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” Obama said during his inaugural speech. “Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.”

To commemorate the occasion, we created GIF animations of inauguration’s best moments.

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Jay-Z and Beyoncé arrive at the inauguration:

Former president Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn making their entrance:

Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

The Obama daughters chatting with guests:

The First Lady takes her seat:

Obama being escorted out:

Obama smiling at the crowd:

One of Obama’s biggest fans:

A gloomy inaugural day:

Vice President Biden being sworn in:

President Obama reciting the oath of office:

Kelly Clarkson performs “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”:

A solemn president:

Beyoncé singing the National Anthem: 

Mr. and Mrs. Beyoncé Knowles posing for photos:

GIFs by Fernando Alfonso III

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*First Published: Jan 21, 2013, 5:50 pm CST