The first
inauguration
In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inau ...
of
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
as the 37th
president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
was held on Monday, January 20, 1969, at the East Portico of the
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the Seat of government, seat of the United States Congress, the United States Congress, legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, federal g ...
in
Washington, D.C. This was the 46th inauguration and marked the commencement of the first and eventually only full term of both Richard Nixon as president and
Spiro Agnew
Spiro Theodore Agnew (; November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second of two vice presidents to resign, the first being John C. ...
as
vice president
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
.
Chief Justice Earl Warren administered the
presidential oath of office to Nixon, and Senate Minority Leader
Everett Dirksen
Everett McKinley Dirksen (January 4, 1896 – September 7, 1969) was an American politician. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, he represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. As P ...
administered the
vice presidential oath to Agnew. Nixon had narrowly defeated
Hubert Humphrey, the incumbent vice president, in the
presidential election. Nixon became the first non-incumbent vice president to be inaugurated as president, something that would not happen again until
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
in
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
. This was also the last presidential oath administered by Chief Justice Earl Warren.
Inaugural address

Nixon delivered an inaugural address, after taking his oath of office.
See also
*
Presidency of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 37th president of the United States began with First inauguration of Richard Nixon, his first inauguration on January 20, 1969, and ended when he resigned on August 9, 19 ...
*
Second inauguration of Richard Nixon
*
1968 United States presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 1968. The Republican ticket of former vice president Richard Nixon and Maryland governor Spiro Agnew, defeated both the Democratic ticket of incumbent vice president Huber ...
References
Bibliography
*
External links
*
*
*
"Nixon Inaugural Ball at MHT"(video)
useum of History and Technology, Smithsonian InstitutionJanuary 20, 1969. From Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 587
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nixon, Richard
1969 in Washington, D.C.
1969 in American politics
Inauguration 1
United States presidential inaugurations
January 1969 in the United States
Spiro Agnew