Watching history being made

At a U.S. Army base south of Baghdad in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Beverlee Burton of Cleveland, Ohio, tears up while watching the swearing-in.  (Chris Hondros / Getty Images)

U.S. soldiers in Kabul, Afghanistan, gather for a broadcast of the ceremony. In his inaugural address, President Obama said he would “forge a hard-earned peace” in Afghanistan.  (Rafiq Maqbool / Associated Press)

Ilana Lorge of Chicago, left, Joy Martinex of St. Augustine, Fla., center, and Jamie Stevens of Los Angeles vent their emotions as they gather for a party marking the inauguration in Singapore.  (Wong Maye-E / Associated Press)

An Iraq resident watches televised coverage of the inauguration at a cafe in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad.  (Karim Kadim / Associated Press)

Israelis and Americans watch the inauguration ceremony for incoming U.S. President Barack Obama at a Jerusalem bar.  (Dan Balilty / Associated Press)

Tristan, 3, holds a small U.S. flag at a viewing party for the inauguration in Berlin, Germany. Several hundred people took part in the party organized by Democrats Abroad.  (Markus Schreiber / Associated Press)

At Yates’s Bar in London’s Leicester Square, a crowd gathered to watch live TV as the first black president in American history took the oath of office. The swearing-in was met here by a massive roar of approval from the crowd.  (Shaun Curry / AFP/Getty Images)

New York spectators cheer as they watch the inaugural address from Times Square.  (Jason DeCrow / Associated Press)

Leonard R. Jacobson, 65, of Atlanta finds plenty of room to stretch out and watch Obama’s swearing-in at the Mirage casino sports book.  (Isaac Brekken / Associated Press)

Obama is the focal point for patrons of 326 Bar at the Farmers Market in Los Angeles.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The Bridge movie theater in Westchester opened its doors early Tuesday for a big-screen viewing of the inauguration. Audience members applaud as Obama’s name is announced at the start of the ceremony.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Mildred Osbourne, 68, is among smiling Obama supporters watching the Washington festivities from L.A.’s Foshay Learning Center.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

In L.A., the 326 Bar crowd watches as Obama takes the oath with one hand on a Bible held by wife Michelle.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

In Los Angeles, an enthusiastic crowd filled the Nokia Plaza at L.A. Live to watch Obama’s inauguration on big-screen televisions.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Don Burkley and Shirley Wilson are among spectators at L.A.’s Nokia Plaza.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Angela Herrera, Michael Karpen and his daughter, Bella Rosa, 3, came to Vinaka Cafe in Carlsbad, Calif., to watch the Obama inauguration because they wanted to be “out in public,” Herrera said. “It’s an event!”  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

It was a time for hugs and tears for Tonja Buckner, left, Kory Williams, Joy Brown Price and Iris Bigsby, who watched the swearing-in from Williams’ Los Angeles home.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Luz Montiel, Audra Sabir and Shirley Wilson celebrate Obama’s swearing-in at Nokia Plaza. Big-screen TVs piped in the Washington festivities for an excited crowd.

More photos >>>  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Students at Frederick KC Price School cheer as Barack Obama is pronounced president. Students and residents watched the inauguration ceremony in the school’s gym.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Members of the Democratic Club of Laguna Woods celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama. That’s just a life-size cutout of him that this fan is standing with.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

A likeness of President Barack Obama gazes down along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Compton on Inauguration Day.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Artist Shepard Fairey’s image of President Barack Obama is projected on the Hollywood & Highland Center in celebration of Obama’s inauguration.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)