Inauguration Day 2013: Photos From Washington's National Mall

By Alberto Riva | January 21 2013 3:33 PM

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

Two attendees pose for a photo with Monday's Washington Post as the sun rises behind the Capitol building.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

Arnold Monroe of Scramento, Calif. waves American flags on the National Mall.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

National Mall Obama Second Inaugural

Stephen McCarter of Chesterfield, Va. holds a flag.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

A visitor holds a memento tote back with the words "Made in China" on it.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

Amber Bokai of Silver Springs, Md. takes a photo using her iPhone.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

Cheryl Jones of Arlington, Va. shows off a homemade Martin Luther King Jr. pin

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

People take photos of Matt Duffy taking a photo.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

Visitors use binoculars to watch the Presidential Inauguration.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

National Mall Obama Second Inaugural

Nhat Tran of Raleigh, N.C., rear, photobombs a group photo of LeadAmerica students.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

A visitor flies an Equality flag. Obama made several references to gay rights in his inaugural address and is expected to make the issue a major part of his second term.

Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/International Business Times

Obama's Second Inauguration

Visitors wave flags upon the first glimpe of Sasha and Malia Obama on monitors.

As Barack Obama was sworn in as president of the United States Monday, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., filled with hundreds of thousands of people who had come to see the official beginning of the first African-American president's second term in office -- on the same day that the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Day.

In a speech that's already being widely recognized as a high moment in the history of American political oratory, Obama laid out the challenges ahead, but used the refrain "We, the people," from the preamble to the Constitution to underscore that it's up to citizens to set the course of the nation.

This is a set of images depicting the faces of the Americans who came to their capital to see the inauguration.