PRESS RELEASE from JCCIC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              CONTACT: Matt House 
January 16, 2013 
         
CHAIRMAN SCHUMER ANNOUNCES THE 2013 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL PROGRAM
 
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), announced the complete program line-up for the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies.
 
“I am honored to announce this incredible line-up for the Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies,” Schumer said. “We have some of the most talented individuals from across America performing at one of America’s most treasured events. I am confident that this collection of songs, prayers, poems and speeches will leave attendees and those that watch the ceremonies at home full of ‘Faith in America’s Future.’”
 
The program participants were invited by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and chosen by the Chairman as well as the Presidential Inauguration Committee. In addition to Chairman Schumer, the members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies include: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid; Senator Lamar Alexander, Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee; Speaker of the House John A. Boehner; House Majority Leader Eric Cantor; and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
 
The order of the program will be as follows:
 
Musical Selections
The United States Marine Band
 
Musical Selections
PS 22, Staten Island, New York and Lee University Festival Choir, Cleveland, Tennessee
 
Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
 
Invocation
Myrlie Evers-Williams
 
Musical Selection
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
 
Oath of Office Administered to Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
By Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, The Honorable Sonia Sotomayor
 
Musical Selection
James Taylor
 
Oath of Office Administered to President Barack H. Obama
By the Chief Justice of the United States, The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
 
Inaugural Address                
The President of the United States, The Honorable Barack H. Obama
 
Musical Selection
Kelly Clarkson
 
Poem                         
Richard Blanco
 
Benediction
To Be Announced
 
The National Anthem
Beyoncé        
 
Additional Information
 
The United States Marine Band
For more than two centuries, the United States Marine Band has been part of the events that have shaped our nation. As “The President’s Own,” its central role has made it an important thread in the fabric of American life. Established by an Act of Congress in 1798, the Marine Band is America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization. Its primary mission is unique: to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
 
PS22
PS22 is an internationally acclaimed chorus from Staten Island, New York, consisting of 65 fifth graders. Directed by Gregg Breinberg, it has become one of the most renowned children's choirs worldwide, with its YouTube videos garnering over 50,000,000 views.  The public school chorus was presented the prestigious Webby Award for "Artist of The Year" by R&B artist Ne-Yo in 2010. Over the years, the group has had celebrated appearances on Nightline, Good Morning America, The Today Show, MTV, VH1, and was twice featured on Oprah!   Perhaps best remembered for closing the 83rd Annual Academy Awards with a show-stopping rendition of "Over The Rainbow," the chorus has also performed with such celebrated artists as Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood, Gym Class Heroes, Queen Latifah, and a host of other prominent names in the music industry.
 
Lee University Festival Choir
Lee University Festival Choir is a student ensemble which represents this university in Cleveland, Tennessee, at special campus and community events throughout the school year.  The 200 students performing at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration have been chosen from seven campus choral ensembles, including 350 vocalists, which perform regularly as part of the Lee University School of Music.  These ensembles have appeared around the world at venues as varied as Carnegie Hall, the NBC television show “Sing Off”, and St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.  The groups present choral masterworks, pop and gospel music, and standard classical literature, performing composers ranging from Duruflé to Bach to John Rutter.  In addition to North American touring, Lee’s choirs perform extensively throughout Europe and Asia and are scheduled to tour Indonesia and China this summer. The Lee University Festival Choir is under the direction of William Green, who is Dean of the School of Music.  Dr. Green holds the DMA degree in choral conducting from the University of Kentucky.
 
Myrlie Evers-Williams
Myrlie Evers-Williams served as the chair of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998. She is the widow of Medgar Evers, the NAACP’s Mississippi Field Secretary who in 1963 was gunned down in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi.  She fought for 30 years to bring his assassin to justice, and preserves his legacy through the Medgar Evers Institute. An author of three books about their civil rights work, she currently serves as a distinguished scholar at Alcorn University in Lorman, Mississippi.  Evers-Williams became the first African American woman to head the Southern California Democratic Women’s Division. She has received 16 honorary degrees from leading colleges and universities in addition to numerous civil rights, human rights and community awards.
 
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir is directed by Carol Cymbala, the wife of Pastor Jim Cymbala. The 280-voice choir, whose members are mostly vocally untrained church members, has recorded three videos, three DVDs and numerous albums, winning five Dove Awards and six Grammy Awards. Their concert venues in New York City have included Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Madison Square Garden Theater. They also performed at the Billy Graham Crusades that were held in New York City’s Central Park and Flushing Meadows Park. The recognition that the choir has received has provided them with a wide open door for ministry in presenting the gospel message through music to people all over the world.
 
James Taylor
James Taylor’s music embodies the art of songwriting in its most personal and universal form.  In a career spanning four decades, with close to 100 million albums sold and five Grammy Awards, his immediately recognizable warm baritone, introspective lyrics and unique guitar playing still blaze a path to which musicians throughout the world aspire.  In 2011 James was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama at The White House and in 2012 he was awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government.  Both medals are their nation’s highest honors for artistic excellence recognizing outstanding achievements and support of the arts.
 
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson has released five studio albums and one greatest hits album, sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and has had 10 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. A global superstar, Clarkson has won two Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, two ACM Awards, a CMA Award and 12 Billboard Music Awards. Her most recent studio album, Stronger, is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A. and was recently nominated for four 2013 Grammy Awards.
 
Richard Blanco
Born in Spain to Cuban exiles, Blanco’s parents emigrated to New York City days after his birth and eventually settled in Miami. Blanco's career as an English-language Latino poet gained momentum when his first collection, City of a Hundred Fires, won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize from the University of Pittsburgh. Blanco's second book of poetry, Directions to The Beach of the Dead, won the PEN American Center Beyond Margins Award. His third collection, Looking for The Gulf Motel, was published in 2012. Richard Blanco will be the first Hispanic, LGBT person and youngest-ever to recite a poem at the swearing-in ceremony.
 
Beyoncé
Beyoncé has become one of the most widely recognized and highly respected women in pop culture. She emerged as a founding member and lead singer and songwriter of Destiny's Child and later developed into an iconic solo artist, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman. She has released four #1 solo albums and has sold over 75 million albums worldwide. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including 16 Grammy Awards.  Billboard named her the Top Female Artist and Top Radio Songs Artist of the 2000s decade. The Recording Industry Association of America also recognized Beyoncé as the Top Certified Artist of the 2000s.
 
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for the oversight and planning of the Presidential Inauguration and related ceremonies on the U.S. Capitol grounds.
 
The Joint Committee was authorized by S. Con. Res. 35, which passed the Senate on March 1, 2012, and the House on March 5th.  Members of JCCIC are appointed by the Vice President and the Speaker of the House. In accordance with tradition, the Senate representatives on JCCIC are Majority Leader Harry Reid, Rules Committee Chairman Charles E. Schumer, and Rules Committee Ranking Member Lamar Alexander.  The House members of JCCIC are Speaker John A. Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
 
S. Con. Res. 35 established the date of the 2013 Inauguration as Monday, January 21, 2013, since January 20, 2013 falls on a Sunday.  This is the seventh time in U.S. history that the constitutionally mandated Inauguration date has fallen on a Sunday.  The last time was for President Ronald Reagan’s second Inauguration in 1985.  When this occurs, the public ceremonies traditionally are held on Monday.
 
In addition, January 21, 2013 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It will be the second time that this federal holiday has coincided with a Presidential Inauguration. The first was President Bill Clinton’s second Inauguration in 1997.
 
You can follow the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/JCCIC and on Twitter at @jccic2013. Visit www.inaugural.senate.gov on your smartphone to access our mobile website app.

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Ed. Note: Rev. Luis León delivered the benediction:

The Reverend Dr. Luis León
The Reverend Dr. Luis León, fourteenth Rector of St. John's Church, began his tenure at St. John’s in 1995. His specialty is building inner city parishes through spiritual leadership, preaching, excellence in worship and liturgical music, stewardship and outreach that involves parish members in the community. Luis teaches courses nationwide in parish building and stewardship and is a frequently requested commencement speaker.

Before his time at St. John's, Luis served as Rector of Trinity Church in Wilmington, Delaware, and St. Paul's Church in Paterson, New Jersey. St. Paul's, an urban parish, grew during his tenure from 35 parishioners to several hundred. In 1985 St. Paul's was named "Church of the Year" by the New Jersey Council of Churches, and in 1986 Luis was awarded the Bishop’s Outstanding Service Award in recognition of the "extraordinary contributions made to the life, quality, and the spirit of the church in this diocese [Newark]."

From 1977 until 1980, Luis served as Assistant Rector at St. Peter's Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He then was Director of Refugee Resettlement for the Diocese of Maryland for two years.

Luis began his spiritual journey when he was baptized into the Episcopal Church in Guantánamo, Cuba. In 1961 he came to the United States as part of the "Peter Pan" flights out of Cuba, joining thousands of children whose parents, at that time in history, feared for their future in Cuba. He was 12 years old when he arrived in the U.S., and was supported by the Episcopal Church in Miami.

Luis attended the University of the South, graduating in 1971. He received a Masters in Divinity degree from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 1977 and in 1999 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of the South. He is a member of the Board of Regents at the University of the South and was a founding member of both the Washington Interfaith Network and the Wilmington [Delaware] Interfaith Network. In 2005 he offered the invocation at the inauguration of the President of the United States.

Luis is married to Lu Stanton León. They have two children, Emilia and Sofia. Lu is a professional writer, editor and consultant.


PRESS RELEASES from Presidential Inaugural Committee
For Immediate Release: Friday, January 4, 2013

PIC Announces Supreme Court Justices Selected to Swear-In President Obama, Vice President Biden
 
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced that Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts, Jr., will administer the oath of office for President Barack Obama at the Inaugural swearing-in ceremonies on Sunday, January 20 and Monday, January 21, and Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor will administer the oath of office for Vice President Joseph Biden. 
 
“I will be honored to again stand on the Inaugural platform and take part in this important American tradition,” said President Obama. “I look forward to having Chief Justice John Roberts administer my oath of office as we gather to celebrate not just a president or vice president, but the strength and determination of the American people.”
 
President Obama followed presidential precedent in choosing the Chief Justice to administer his oath of office. Vice President Biden personally selected Associate Justice Sotomayor, who will be the first Hispanic and fourth female judge to administer an oath of office.
 
Three women have previously sworn-in presidents and vice presidents: Judge Sarah T. Hughes swore-in President Johnson in 1963; Justice Sandra Day O’Connor swore-in Vice President Dan Quayle in 1989; and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg swore-in Vice President Al Gore in 1997.
 
"It's an incredible honor to have Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor swear me in,” Vice President Biden said. “I believed strongly that she would make a great Justice, and it was one of the greatest pleasures of my career to be involved in her selection to the Court.  From the first time I met her, I was impressed by Justice Sotomayor’s commitment to justice and opportunity for all Americans, and she continues to exemplify those values today. Above all, I’m happy for the chance to be sworn in by a friend – and someone I know will continue to do great things.”

Historically, Inaugural Ceremonies are not held on a Sunday because Courts and other public institutions are not open. This year, in accordance with the requirements of the United States Constitution, President Obama and Vice President Biden will officially be sworn in on Sunday, January 20, 2013. The following day, Monday, January 21, 2013, a ceremonial swearing-in that is open to the public will take place on the West Front of the United States Capitol.
 
The official swearing-in ceremony on Sunday is being planned by the PIC.  The ceremonial swearing-in on Monday is overseen by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. 
 
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For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 8, 2013

PIC Announces Participants Selected to Deliver Invocation, Benediction for Swearing-In of President Obama and Vice President Biden
 
WASHINGTON, DC --  The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced today that Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams has been selected to deliver the invocation and Rev. Louie Giglio has been selected to deliver the benediction at the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony of President Obama and Vice President Biden on Monday, January 21.
 
President Obama was involved in the selection of participants in the Inaugural program, including Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams and Rev. Louie Giglio.
 
“Vice President Biden and I are honored that Myrlie Evers-Williams and Rev. Louie Giglio will participate in the Inaugural ceremony,” President Obama said today. “Their voices have inspired many people across this great nation within the faith community and beyond. Their careers reflect the ideals that the Vice President and I continue to pursue for all Americans – justice, equality, and opportunity.”
 
"I am humbled to have been asked to deliver the invocation for the 57th inauguration of the President of the United States—especially in light of this historical time in America when we will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement,” Myrlie Evers-Williams said today. “It is indeed an exhilarating experience to have the distinct honor of representing that era."
 
“It is my privilege to have the opportunity to lead our nation in prayer at the upcoming inauguration in Washington, DC,” said Rev. Louie Giglio. “During these days it is essential for our nation to stand together as one. And, as always, it is the right time to humble ourselves before our Maker.  May we all look up to our God, from whom we can receive mercy, grace and truth to strengthen our lives, our families and our nation. I am honored to be invited by the President to lead our nation as we look up to God, and as we look ahead to a future that honors and reflects the One who has given us every good and perfect gift.”
 
Historically, Inaugural Ceremonies are not held on a Sunday because Courts and other public institutions are not open. This year, in accordance with the requirements of the United States Constitution, President Obama and Vice President Biden will officially be sworn in on Sunday, January 20, 2013. The following day, Monday, January 21, 2013, a ceremonial swearing-in that is open to the public will take place on the West Front of the United States Capitol.
 
The official swearing-in ceremony on Sunday is being planned by the PIC.  The ceremonial swearing-in on Monday is overseen by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. 
 
Myrlie Evers-Williams Biography
Myrlie Evers-Williams served as the chair of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998. The widow of Medgar Evers – the NAACP’s Mississippi Field Secretary who in 1963 was gunned down in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi – she fought for 30 years to bring his assassin to justice, and preserves his legacy through the Medgar Evers Institute. An author of three books about their civil rights’ work, she currently serves as a distinguished scholar at Alcorn University in Lorman, Mississippi.  Evers-Williams became the first black woman to head the Southern California Democratic Women’s Division. She has received 16 honorary degrees from leading colleges and universities in addition to numerous civil rights, human rights and community awards.
 
Reverend Louie Giglio Biography
The Reverend Louie Giglio is the pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and the founder of Passion Conferences, a movement gathering college-aged young people since 1997 in events across the country and around the world. Most recently, Passion hosted more than 60,000 people at Passion 2013 in the Georgia Dome, uniting students in worship and prayer and raising awareness about modern-day slavery, human trafficking. In 2008, Louie and his wife Shelley led the team that planted Passion City Church, a local community of faith with the spirit of the Passion movement. Their desire is to inspire this generation to live for what matters most.

 
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Ed. Note: Rev. Giglio withdrew after ThinkProgress reported on a sermon he delivered in the 1990s in which he preached "rabidly anti-LGBT views."  Below is the letter he posted Jan. 10 on his passioncitychurchblog:

Dear PCC Family,

Though I was invited by the President of the United States to pray at his upcoming inauguration, after conversations between our team and the White House I am no longer serving in that role. I sent the following statement to the White House today:

I am honored to be invited by the President to give the benediction at the upcoming inaugural on January 21. Though the President and I do not agree on every issue, we have fashioned a friendship around common goals and ideals, most notably, ending slavery in all its forms.

Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration. Clearly, speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ.

Neither I, nor our team, feel it best serves the core message and goals we are seeking to accomplish to be in a fight on an issue not of our choosing, thus I respectfully withdraw my acceptance of the President’s invitation. I will continue to pray regularly for the President, and urge the nation to do so. I will most certainly pray for him on Inauguration Day.

Our nation is deeply divided and hurting, and more than ever we need God’s grace and mercy in our time of need.

The issue of homosexuality (which a particular message of mine some 20 years ago addressed) is one of the most difficult our nation will navigate. However, individuals’ rights of freedom, and the collective right to hold differing views on any subject is a critical balance we, as a people, must recover and preserve.

As a pastor, my mission is to love people, and lead them well, while lifting up the name of Jesus above anything else. I’m confident that anyone who knows me or has listened to the multitude of messages I have given in the last decade would most likely conclude that I am not easily characterized as being opposed to people—any people. Rather, I am constantly seeking to understand where all people are coming from and how to best serve them as I point them to Jesus.

In all things, the most helpful thing I can do is to invite each of us to wrestle with scripture and its implications for our lives. God’s words trump all opinions, including mine, and in the end, I believe God’s words lead to life.

My greatest desire is that we not be distracted from the things we are focused on…seeing people in our city come to know Jesus, and speaking up for the last and least of these throughout the world.

Honored to be your pastor,
Louie


HRC [Human Rights Campaign] Blog Jan. 10, 2013

Anti-LGBT Pastor Removed from President Obama’s Inaugural Program

Pastor Louis Giglio, who had been slated to perform the benediction at President Obama’s inauguration, has withdrawn from the program. Giglio had a history of anti-LGBT rhetoric, including advocating for ex-gay therapy. HRC President Chad Griffin released the following statement in response to this news:

"It was the right decision. Participants in the Inaugural festivities should unite rather than divide. Choosing an affirming and fair-minded voice as his replacement would be in keeping with the tone the president wants to set for his Inaugural."


For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Inaugural Poet
Richard Blanco is the Youngest and First Latino or LGBT Person Selected as the Inaugural Poet
 
WASHINGTON, DC --  Today, the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) announced that Richard Blanco will serve as the Inaugural poet at the swearing-in ceremony on Monday, January 21.  Blanco will be the youngest-ever Inaugural poet and the first Hispanic or LGBT person to recite a poem at the swearing-in ceremony. 
 
“I’m honored that Richard Blanco will join me and Vice President Biden at our second Inaugural,” President Obama said today.  “His contributions to the fields of poetry and the arts have already paved a path forward for future generations of writers. Richard’s writing will be wonderfully fitting for an Inaugural that will celebrate the strength of the American people and our nation’s great diversity.”
 
Born in Spain to Cuban exiles, Blanco’s parents emigrated to New York City days after his birth and eventually settled in Miami. Blanco began his career as a consultant engineer. Writing about abstract concepts and preparing arguments on behalf of his clients helped Blanco think about the “engineering” of language, and he left his job in 1999 for the creative writing faculty at Central Connecticut State University until 2001. Thereafter he served as instructor at various universities throughout the country, including American and Georgetown universities, all the while maintaining his career in consulting engineer. 
 
Blanco's career as an English-language Latino poet gained momentum when his first collection, City of a Hundred Fires, won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize from the University of Pittsburgh. Blanco's second book of poetry, Directions to The Beach of the Dead, won the PEN American Center Beyond Margins Award.  His third collection, Looking for The Gulf Motel, was published in 2012.
 
As a writer, Blanco explores the collective American experience of cultural negotiation through the lens of family and love, particularly his mother’s life shaped by exile, his relationship with his father, and the passing of a generation of relatives. His work also explores the intersection of his cultural identities as a Cuban-American gay man. 
 
"I’m beside myself, bestowed with this great honor, brimming over with excitement, awe, and gratitude,” Blanco said today. “In many ways, this is the very ‘stuff’ of the American Dream, which underlies so much of my work and my life’s story—America’s story, really.  I am thrilled by the thought of coming together during this great occasion to celebrate our country and its people through the power of poetry.”
 
In addition to writing poetry, Blanco has worked to strengthen communities and support neighbors, from working with students on writing and interpreting poems throughout the country to serving as a member of his town’s Planning Board in Bethel, Maine where he currently lives. His commitment reflects the ideals of the National Day of Service, and demonstrates that, as President Obama has said, we can all give back to our communities.
 
The first inaugural poet was Robert Frost at President Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration. In 1993, at the inauguration of President Clinton, Maya Angelou became the second inaugural poet and the first to read an original poem at an inauguration. She was followed by Miller Williams in 1997 and Elizabeth Alexander in 2009.
 
President Obama was involved in the selection of participants in the Inaugural program, including Richard Blanco.
 
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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 9, 2013

PIC Announces Musical Artists Selected to Perform at the 57th Presidential Inauguration
 
WASHINGTON, DC --  The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced today the musical artists selected to perform at the 57th Presidential Inauguration.  Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, and James Taylor will all perform at the inauguration, which will take place on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013.
 
“Vice President Biden and I are honored to have these wonderfully talented musical artists perform at the Inaugural ceremony,” President Obama said today. “Their music is often at the heart of the American story and speaks to folks across the country.”
 
Beyoncé will sing the National Anthem, Kelly Clarkson will perform “My Country Tis of Thee,” and James Taylor will sing “America the Beautiful.”
 
President Obama was involved in the selection of participants in the Inaugural program, including the musical performers. Other ceremonial participants include Myrlie Evers-Williams, who will give the invocation; Richard Blanco, who will serve as the Inaugural poet; and Reverend Louie Giglio, who will deliver the Benediction.
 
Participant Biographies:
 
Beyoncé has become one of the most widely recognized and highly respected women in pop culture. She emerged as a founding member and lead singer and songwriter of Destiny's Child and later developed into an iconic solo artist, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman. She has released four #1 solo albums  and has sold over 75 million albums worldwide. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including 16 Grammy Awards.  Billboard named her the Top Female Artist and Top Radio Songs Artist of the 2000s decade. The Recording Industry Association of America also recognized Beyoncé as the Top Certified Artist of the 2000s.
 
James Taylor’s music embodies the art of songwriting in its most personal and universal form.  In a career spanning four decades, with close to 100 million albums sold and five Grammy Awards, his immediately recognizable warm baritone, introspective lyrics and unique guitar playing still blaze a path to which musicians throughout the world aspire.  In 2011 James was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama at The White House and in 2012 he was awarded the distinguished Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government.  Both medals are their nation’s highest honors for artistic excellence recognizing outstanding achievements and support of the arts.
 
Kelly Clarkson has released five studio albums and one greatest hits album, sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and has had 10 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. A global superstar, Clarkson has won two Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, two ACM Awards, a CMA Award and 12 Billboard Music Awards. Her most recent studio album, Stronger, is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A. and was recently nominated for four 2013 Grammy Awards. 

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For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 10, 2013

 PIC Announces Historic Bibles Selected for Swearing-In Ceremonies
 
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced the Bibles that President Obama and Vice President Biden will use at their swearing-in ceremonies on Sunday, January 20, and Monday, January 21.
 
On Sunday, January 20, President Obama will take the oath of office using the Robinson Family Bible. On Monday, January 21, the President will take the oath of office using two Bibles: the Bible used by President Lincoln at his first Inauguration, which the President used in 2009, and a Bible used by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
“President Obama is honored to use these Bibles at the swearing-in ceremonies,” said Steve Kerrigan, President and CEO of the PIC. “On the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, this historic moment is a reflection of the extraordinary progress we’ve made as a nation.”
 
Though there is no constitutional requirement for the use of a Bible during the swearing-in, Presidents have traditionally used Bibles for the ceremony, choosing a volume with personal or historical significance. In 2009, President Obama became the first President sworn in using the Lincoln Bible since its initial use in 1861.
 
The Robinson Family Bible was selected specifically for the occasion. The bible was a gift from the First Lady’s father, Fraser Robinson III, to his mother, LaVaughn Delores Robinson on Mother’s Day in 1958. Mrs. Robinson was the first African-American woman manager of a Moody Bible Institute’s bookstore and she used the Bible regularly.
 
The Lincoln Bible is part of the collections of the Library of Congress and was originally purchased by William Thomas Carroll, Clerk of the Supreme Court, for use during Lincoln’s swearing-in ceremony on March 4, 1861. The Bible itself is bound in burgundy velvet with a gold-washed white metal rim around the three outside edges of both covers, and all of its edges are heavily gilded.
 
The King Bible was Dr. King’s “traveling bible.” An avid reader who was constantly on the road, Dr. King typically traveled with a selection of books that included this Bible. It was used for inspiration and preparing sermons and speeches, including during Dr. King’s time as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
“We know our father would be deeply moved to see President Obama take the Oath of Office using his bible,” Dr. King’s children said today. “His ‘traveling bible’ inspired him as he fought for freedom, justice and equality, and we hope it can be a source of strength for the President as he begins his second term. With the Inauguration less than two weeks away, we join Americans across the country in embracing this opportunity to celebrate how far we have come, honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through service, and rededicate ourselves to the work ahead.” 
 
Members of the King family will also join Americans across the country to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King by participating in National Day of Service events on Saturday, January 19. Additionally, a float in the Inaugural parade will commemorate Dr. King’s enduring legacy.
 
On Sunday and Monday, Vice President Biden will be sworn in using the Biden Family Bible, which is five inches thick, has a Celtic cross on the cover and has been in the Biden family since 1893. He used it every time he was sworn in as a US Senator and when he was sworn in as Vice President in 2009. His son Beau used it when he was sworn in as Delaware’s attorney general.
 
“For decades, the Vice President’s bible has been part of our country’s history,” Kerrigan said. “It will continue to serve not just the Biden family, but the American people as well.”
 
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