It was a bitterly cold 28 degrees in Washington, D.C., yesterday, but the crowd of roughly 2 million people gathered to see Barack Obama sworn in as America's 44th president didn't seem to feel the chill. With his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, proudly looking on, Obama took the oath of office on the steps of the U.S. Capitol at 12:05 p.m.

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit," he pledged, "to choose our
better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

It was a day many in the crowd never dreamed they would see, and while some cheered, others wept openly, overwhelmed by the emotion and weight of the moment.

For the full story of the historic Inauguration of Barack Obama, pick up Life & Style's special inauguration issue, on newsstands now!