George Washington 's first inauguration took place on April 30 , 1789 , and not in the city named for him . Lyndon Johnson used John F. Kennedy 's Roman Catholic Missal during his hastily arranged swearing-in aboard Air Force One en route to Washington following Kennedy 's assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22 , 1963 . Comment: Obama will be sworn-in twice ; once on Sunday in private and again on Monday in public . Inaugurations were predominantly on March 4 until 1937 . Since , January 20 is the date .
George Washington 's first inauguration took place on April 30 , 1789 , and not in the city named for him . Comment: Obama will be sworn-in twice ; once on Sunday in private and again on Monday in public . Inaugurations were predominantly on March 4 until 1937 . Since , January 20 is the date .