The Inaugural celebration began over the weekend. On Saturday, Barack Obama made a symbolic trip to the U.S. capital, traveling by train along a route that had been followed by Abraham Lincoln. Along the way, Obama and his wife, Michelle, appeared on the back balcony periodically to wave to shivering crowds bundled up in blankets and parkas who had gathered by the dozens, the hundreds and more along the route.
On Sunday afternoon, tens of thousands of concertgoers blanketed the grounds below the neoclassical memorial that houses a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln, the country's 16th president. Lincoln, Obama's fellow Illinoisan, opened the door on the racial divide for African Americans nearly 150 years ago. Taking the rostrum to end the concert, Obama again warned the nation and those assembled under gray skies and in chilly temperatures that Americans face a vast assignment in battling to stop their economy from sliding into another Great Depression.
But he smiled, too, reminding of his message of hope. (23 images)
On Sunday afternoon, tens of thousands of concertgoers blanketed the grounds below the neoclassical memorial that houses a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln, the country's 16th president. Lincoln, Obama's fellow Illinoisan, opened the door on the racial divide for African Americans nearly 150 years ago. Taking the rostrum to end the concert, Obama again warned the nation and those assembled under gray skies and in chilly temperatures that Americans face a vast assignment in battling to stop their economy from sliding into another Great Depression.
But he smiled, too, reminding of his message of hope. (23 images)
President-elect Barack Obama, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden wave from their train as they pass through Edgewood, Md. on a pre-inauguration whistle stop tour, Saturday, Jan. 17. AP / Gerald Herbert
Malia Obama, and her sister Sasha Obama, lead their father, President-elect Barack Obama, right, and others to their Amtrak train at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, Saturday, Jan. 17, as they embarked on his inaugural whistle stop train trip to Washington. AP / Pablo Martinez Monsivais
President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, right, talk with Vice President-elect Joe Biden, left, and his wife Jill in Wilmington, Del., Saturday, Jan. 17, during the historical inaugural whistle stop train tour to Washington. AP / The News Journal / Ron Soliman
Malik Phillip, 9, left, and Aja Dye, 8, wait for the arrival of President-elect Barack Obama outside the Wilmington train station, Saturday, Jan. 17, in Wilmington, Del. The two just met and became friends. Obama's inaugural train will stop in Wilmington about 1 p.m. Saturday to pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family before departing for Baltimore and Washington. AP / The News Journal / Ron Soliman
President-elect Barack Obama, left, waves as he and his wife Michelle Obama ride the train en route to Wilmington, Del., Saturday, Jan. 17. AP / Chang W. Lee
Crowds are seen through a window in the train carrying President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect through Edgewood, Md., Saturday, Jan. 17, during their inaugural whistle stop train trip to Washington. AP / Charles Dharapak
President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama greet the crowd at the War Memorial Plaza during a stop on the inaugural whistle stop train trip in Baltimore, Md., Saturday, Jan. 17. AP / Charles Dharapak
People in the crowd react as President-elect Barack Obama, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden arrive by train as they pass through Edgewood, Md. on their inaugural whistle stop train trip, Saturday, Jan. 17. AP / Gerald Herbert
Barack Obama buttons, for sale, at InauguralFest, a nine-day, traveling tribute Presidential history, Saturday, Jan. 17, in Washington. AP / Evan Vucci
President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, take the stage at War Memorial Plaza as they rally the crowd at a stop on their inaugural whistle stop train trip in Baltimore, Md., Saturday, Jan. 17. AP / Charles Dharapak
Tanya Davis, of Wheaton, Illinois, takes a photograph ou t the window of a vintage rail car traveling through Maryland to Washington, D.C. Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Gail Burton
Commuters arrive at the Mt. Vernon Square Metro stop in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. Several hundred thousand people gathered on the National Mall during the " We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. AP / The News Leader / Pat Jarrett
Malia Obama, 10, right, takes a picture as she sits next to her sister Sasha before their parents, President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, arrive onstage at the Lincoln Memorial inaugural concert Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Charles Dharapak
Several hundred thousand people gather on the National Mall on Sunday, Jan. 18 in Washington, during the " We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. AP / The Daily News Leader / Pat Jarrett
Standing behind bulletproof glass, President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, right, applaud with Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden, left, during "We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. At right is his wife Michelle Obama. AP / Carolyn Kaster
Sasha Obama rests on her father, President-elect Barack Obama's lap, at the Lincoln Memorial during an inaugural concert Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Charles Dharapak
President-elect Barack Obama speaks at the Lincoln Memorial during an inaugural concert in Washington , Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Charles Dharapak
Russ Cusick wears President-elect Barack Obama pins on his hat as he sells them on the street Sunday, Jan. 18, in the final days before the presidential inauguration in Washington Jan. 20. AP / Charlie Neibergall
Singer Bruce Springsteen performs at the "We Are One: Opening Inaurgural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Jeff Christensen
Stevie Wonder performs with Usher, right, and Shakira during "We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Alex Brandon
Crowds gather along the Reflection Pool on the National Mall as they wait for the start of "We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Carolyn Kaster
President-elect Barack Obama, left, greets Marisa Tomei, center, and Shakira during the " We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. AP / Carolyn Kaster
People watch President-elect Barack Obama on a large screen television during the "We Are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18. The Washington Monument is in the background. AP / Matt Rourke
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