The Presidential Inauguration of 1953

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Last week was a poignant time to be writing about President Dwight Eisenhower. I read about why he agreed to run for president in 1952. I watched a video with highlights of his inauguration in 1953. I read from the televised speech he gave to the nation on Tuesday night, January 17, 1961, before John F. Kennedy was inaugurated to succeed him on Friday, January 20.

This is a good week in our country to be thinking about a president like Eisenhower, about a peaceful inauguration, and about an outgoing president’s wise words to the American people. Here are some things I learned.

Why Eisenhower Agreed to Run for President

Because of his brilliant leadership as the Supreme Allied Commander during World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower was a hero. Leaders in both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party tried to convince Eisenhower to run for president in 1948. President Truman (a Democrat) even offered to be his vice presidential running mate, instead of running for president himself.

In the summer of 1951, Americans organized Ike Clubs. Ike was Eisenhower’s nickname. Clubs included Democrats and Republicans. Both political parties tried again to convince Ike to be their candidate. President Truman told him that he would support him in the 1952 election, if he would run as a Democrat. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie were living in Paris, where he was the Supreme Commander of NATO.

Eisenhower was worried about the dangers of the Cold War. On his 61st birthday in October 1951, he wrote a secret letter to friends. He said that if it was obvious that the American people wanted him, he would have no choice but to say yes. On February 8, 1952, a group called Citizens for Eisenhower held an “Eisenhower for President” rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Forty thousand people came. Many waved “I Like Ike” signs. Republicans filmed the rally. Pilot Jacqueline “Jackie” Cochran flew the film across the Atlantic Ocean to Eisenhower. On February 11, Ike and Mamie watched it with friends. The sight of the support from Americans was so overwhelming that Eisenhower began to cry. Then he started talking about his mom and dad.

Several weeks later. the Eisenhowers returned to the United States and he resigned from the Army. On June 4, he traveled to his hometown of Abilene, Kansas, and announced that he was a candidate for president. Ike and Mamie Eisenhower campaigned on a 19-car “Eisenhower Special” train. Mamie became popular, too. “I Like Ike” was Eisenhower’s campaign slogan. He often ended a campaign appearance with the words, “And folks, here’s my Mamie.” Soon people wore buttons that said, “I Like Ike, but I LOVE MAMIE!” Ike wore an “I Like Mamie” button, and she wore one that said “Ike Likes Me.”

Eisenhower’s Inauguration in 1953

On January 20, 1953, Dwight David Eisenhower was inaugurated in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. When he took the oath of office, he placed his hand on the Bible his parents gave him when he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Americans around the country watched the inauguration. People around the world listened to it on shortwave radio.  Eisenhower was the first Republican in the White House since 1933 and the Republicans were ready to celebrate. The inaugural parade was the most elaborate Washington had ever seen. The parade was ten miles long and had 30,000 participants. Flags of the 48 states and the U.S. territories, motorcycles, 350 horses, 3 elephants, military bands, members of the American Legion, veterans of the Korean War, members of native nations, and marchers and/or floats from every state (including some which portrayed the life of Eisenhower from his birth in Texas to the White House) passed by a crowd of 750,000.

Cadets from West Point were among those who marched in the Inaugural parade. In 1913 Eisenhower had been among the cadets who marched by in the parade for President Woodrow Wilson. The 1953 parade lasted into the early evening. It was four and a half hours long. President Eisenhower watched it all. He wanted to honor the people who brought him to Washington.

Excerpts from President Eisenhower’s Farewell Speech (8 years later )

To all the peoples of the world, I once more give expression to America’s prayerful and continuing aspiration: We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to the needs of others will learn charity; that the sources of poverty, disease and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth, and that, in the goodness of time, all people will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love.

Note: Serving as president is an exhausting job. President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack during his first term, but then ran again for a second. After being in the military since graduating from West Point, serving as the Supreme Commander who led the Allies to victory over Hitler in World War II, and serving as president for eight years, Ike and Mamie Eisenhower were about to retire to the first home that they had every owned. He was 69 years old and he was still grateful that he had been privileged to serve. Near the end of that January 17 speech, he said:

So, in this my last good night to you as your President, I thank you for the many opportunities you have given me for public service in war and peace.

Note: Eisenhower ended with these words that he had handwritten at the end of his typed speech:

Now, on Friday noon I am to become a private citizen of the U.S. I am proud to do so. Thank you and goodnight.

When Eisenhower took the oath of office in 1953, he laid his hand on the following passage. President Reagan opened his Bible to the same passage at both of his inaugurations. Mike Pence did the same when he took the oath as vice president. Pence used President Reagan’s Bible.

. . . [if] My people who are called by My name
humble themselves, and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

Here’s a link to the video I watched with highlights of Eisenhower’s 1953 inauguration, in case you would like to see it, too. Ray and I felt like standing up to cheer when we saw it.

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