Five Fun Trivia Facts for Inauguration Day

Ahead of Inauguration Day on January 20th, learn five interesting inaugural trivia from The Smithsonian Book of Presidential Trivia.

1. Which president’s inaugural speech was once thought to have killed him?

William Henry Harrison.

Harrison recited 8,445 words in a speech that many believed cost him his life. It was a chilly March day in the capital city, and the president stood outside without hat, gloves, or coat. Later, he was out walking and got caught in a downpour. Soon he came down with a cold that turned into pneumonia. His last words were, “I wish you to understand the true principles of government. I wish them carried out. I ask nothing more.” However, recent analysis by medical experts has cast doubt on this popular version of Harrison’s death, with many commentators questioning whether a cold contracted on March 4 could lead to death a full month later. Research suggests that Harrison may have acquired typhoid fever from drinking Washington’s tainted water supply, which ultimately led to his death on April 4, 1841.

2. Who was the only president sworn in by a woman?

Lyndon Johnson.

Johnson was sworn in by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah T. Hughes on Air Force One, just hours after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. The plane carried the new president and the slain former president’s body back to Washington, D.C.

3. Who was the first president to invite a poet to read at his inauguration?

John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy invited Robert Frost to read at the occasion of his inaugural. The eighty-six-year-old poet from New England had written a special work called “Dedication” specifically for the event. However, the glare from the sun made it difficult for Frost to see his text. Instead, he recited “The Gift Outright” from memory. Afterward, he sent a handwritten copy of the poem to the Smithsonian.

4. Who was sworn in using his nickname instead of his given name?

Jimmy Carter.

In keeping with his unpretentious style, Carter used “Jimmy” instead of “James Earl” at his swearing-in. His inauguration departed from tradition in another way as well. After his speech, he, his wife, Rosalynn, and, for some of the way, their daughter, Amy, walked hand-in-hand from the Capitol to the White House. The forty-minute walk in place of the traditional limousine ride was full of symbolism: here was a president who was in touch with the American people.

5. Who was the first first lady to ride along with her husband in the parade from the Capitol to the White House after his inauguration?

Helen “Nellie” Taft.

As a child Nellie Herron dreamed of being first lady. Perhaps that’s why, when her wish came true in 1909, the independent Taft broke with tradition and rode to the White House beside the newly inaugurated president in an open carriage. Previous first ladies had dutifully followed behind their husbands in a separate vehicle.

Read more in The Smithsonian Book of Presidential Trivia, which is available from Smithsonian Books. Visit Smithsonian Books’ website to learn more about its publications and a full list of titles. 

Excerpt from The Smithsonian Book of Presidential Trivia © 2013 Smithsonian Institution. Updated in 2016 and 2021

Amy Pastan | READ MORE

AMY PASTAN is a Washington, DC-based author, editor, and photo researcher. A former staff editor at the Smithsonian Institution, she currently writes and produces books for both adults and children.