A group of African-Americans ride a bus from Brooklyn, New York to Washington DC on Sunday, Jan.18,to attend the inauguration.

A New Yorker on his way to the inauguration.

On the eve of the inauguration of President Barack Obama as 44th President of the United States, and on Martin Luther Kings' Birthday, thousands of citizens arrive in Washington DC and visit national monuments and historic sites.

Peter Turnley
Photojournalist

On Sunday morning, I boarded a bus in Brooklyn with a group of approximately 40 citizens from New York, all African-American, each of whom, would not have missed for almost anything, the inauguration of President Barack Obama. I have been a photojournalist for the past 25 years, and have had the incredible opportunity to witness many of the worlds’ defining moments of modern history; the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989; the end of apartheid in South Africa and Nelson Mandela walking out of prison in 1991; and most of the worlds’ conflicts of the past three decades. When our bus pulled into Maryland, on the eve of the inauguration, I knew after hearing the words of my fellow passengers, in some sense fellow pilgrims, that I was in the midst of a moment of history like maybe no other in terms of its historic magnitude, that I had ever witnessed and certainly not in America.

It is the words of these passengers, and those of many others that I have met in the past two days, that are representative of some degree of what this moment means. I would prefer to let them speak for themselves.

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Peggy Noonan
The Wall Street Journal

Teddy Kennedy is gallant. He attended the swearing-in of the new president on Tuesday in the midst of serious illness, white-haired and frail—in his jaunty fedora he looked like his father, old Joe Kennedy, in 1939, when he first burst on the scene as the new American ambassador to the Court of St. James. The senator smiled as he walked toward his seat, sweetly blowing a kiss to a friend in the stands. Later, at the congressional lunch, he collapsed.

Four years ago it was Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who rose from his sickbed to swear in George W. Bush for a second term, and who died 7½ months later of the cancer from which he'd long suffered. Such personal gallantry has long graced our national life, and in its way makes that life possible. And so it should always be noted, with gratitude, and a tip of the hat. As I write I can hear the ambulance that is taking Sen. Kennedy to the hospital. He is a courteous person, much like the Bushes in being an old-school writer of notes and maker of calls, and one suspects very soon we'll be hearing that he called the new president to apologize for stepping on his story.

All this did have a somewhat subduing effect on the day. But then the Inaugural Address itself was somewhat subdued.

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Watch as 107-year-old, Ann Cooper reacts to the moment President Barack Obama is sworn in. CNN's Brooke Baldwin reports.

Barack Obama arrives to his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America at the Capitol today in Washington, DC.

Julian E. Zelizer
Special to CNN

The inaugural address is a seminal moment in the development of every president. This is a relatively short speech, normally thin on detail and big on message points.

Obama, an inspirational orator, must use this opportunity well. As he confronts an enormously challenging economy and an unstable world, particularly after the terrorist attacks in India and fighting in Gaza, Obama must capitalize on this moment to positively shape the character of his presidency.

If he looks back in time for guidance, Obama can learn a lot from some of his predecessors as he decides which messages should and should not make it into the final text.

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President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

Eboo Patel
On Faith at washingtonpost.com

For Rick Warren, the dream of being chosen to give the invocation at a presidential inauguration quickly turned into a nightmare of being fired at by the left and the right. Many on the left are furious because of Warren's opposition to gay rights, some on the right are angry because Warren accepted the invitation of a man who supports gay rights.

The heat on such issues has been turned up since a majority of Californians voted No on gay marriage on Nov 4.

On one level, this is an either/or issue – that's certainly what it looks like at the ballot box. Either you vote for gay marriage or you vote against it. But there is another way to look at this – which is how the two sides are choosing to frame the issue, and what that means for a diverse society.

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CNN's Samantha Hayes shows us the list of big name fundraisers who will be up close for the presidential inauguration.

Anderson talks to his panel about Rick Warren's invitation to Barack Obama's inauguration and the controversy behind it.

Designers sketch out options for the Obama's inaugural attire.

Sarah Parker
CNN

The presidential inauguration party tops the list of formal affairs next January, and President-elect Barack Obama is rumored to be preparing for his big event.

He’s believed to have ordered a simple and classic black tuxedo by the union-friendly suburban Illinois-designer Hart Schaffner Marx, a stylist in which the president-elect is said to be faithful, according to the LA times.

But most-likely all eyes will be on the future first lady’s outfit. So, what will Michelle Obama wear on her husband’s big day?

Women’s Wear Daily is featuring sketches by high profile designers on its Web site of possible inauguration day outfits for the Mrs. Obama and among the contenders are simple and classic designer Nicole Miller, the elegant and timeless Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, and the funky and youthful California-based fashionista Betsey Johnson.

And the Obama girls were not forgotten. The Web site features drawings of potential outfits for Sasha, 10 and Malia, 7, from dressy skirted coats to children’s gowns.

Mrs. Obama, who is often compared to former first-lady and style icon Jackie Kennedy, took some heat for her election night attire as she donned an attention-grabbing red and black Narciso Rodriguez shift dress.

The future first lady has said she often sports modestly-priced labels like J.Crew, and Donna Rico, and favors local Chicago-designer Maria Pinto. But inauguration day could call for a pricier piece, and fashion’s elite are prepared. Whatever the future first-lady decides for inauguration day, the fashion world will surely be watching.