My Fellow Americans

Abstract Every four years, the incoming president of the United States delivers an inaugural address in a tradition that dates back to 1789, with George Washington’s first inauguration. The address informs Americans—and peoples around the world—about the nation’s past achievements and its potential future. In a speech laden with importance, the president shares their fears, their hopes, and their deepest aspirations for the nation and for democracy. This book brings together all of the inaugural addresses—from George Washington's first in 1789 through Joseph Biden’s in 2021. It includes original essays by leading scholars, speechwriters, historians, biographers, and editors of presidential papers that contextualize each speech within the presidential administration that followed. Each of the contributors explores what a president expected to be dealing with when entering the highest office in the land, what they hoped to do for the country, and how things really turned out. The chapters examine decisions the president made and how this impacted the nation’s trajectory. They also reflect on how the address relates to the president's legacy in and out of office. The chapters also offer distinctive approaches: some consider the political, economic, and military status of the country; others the composition of the address itself; and still others the personal circumstances of the president at the time of his inauguration.