Associated Press
photo by: AP File Photo
In this May 2, 2020, file photo, Erika Bermudez becomes emotional as she leans over the grave of her mother, Eudiana Smith, at Bayview Cemetery in Jersey City, N.J., Bermudez was not allowed to approach the gravesite until cemetery workers had buried her mother, who died of COVID-19. Other members of the family and friends stayed in their cars. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
As President Donald Trump entered the final year of his term last January, the U.S. recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Not to worry, Trump insisted, his administration had the virus “totally under control.”
The crowd was smaller than in past inaugurations, but there was still a lot of pomp and circumstance.
The front of the Capitol was adorned with large American flags. The Marine Band serenaded guests with patriotic music. The arrival of dignitaries was announced over a loudspeaker accompanied by a drumroll.
Seats were spaced six feet apart as a safety protocol. And what is normally the standing-room-only section was instead filled by members of the news media.
Here s what Washington, D.C., looked like on a historic day:
Vice President Kamala Harris is sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor during the 2021 Presidential Inauguration.Robert Deutsch, Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY