The inauguration of Joe Biden

Poet Amanda Gorman said she used the insurrection on Jan. 6 as a form of inspiration for the poem she read earlier today during the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

Read Gorman's full poem here.

CNN's Anderson Cooper speaks with poet Amanda Gorman:

A display of fireworks over Washington, DC, closed out today's Inauguration Day events.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are on the Blue Room balcony above the White House South Lawn watching the fireworks. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are watching from the Lincoln Memorial as singer Katy Perry performs her song "Firework."

After taking the oath of office at the US Capitol earlier today, Biden and his family walked onto the White House grounds for the first time since he became President, as did Harris — who made history when she was sworn in as the first female, the first Black and first South Asian vice president of the United States.

The new President made unity a focus of his remarks today, as he urged Americans to come together to overcome the many challenges the nation currently faces.

"Today on this January day, my whole soul is in this — bringing American people together, uniting our nation, and I ask every American to join me in this cause," Biden said in his inaugural speech.

Speaking at the Lincoln Memorial during the "Celebrating America" concert, the President again called on the nation to unify and said he'd never been more optimistic about America than he is today.

"This is a great nation. We're a good people and [to] overcome the challenges in front of us requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy — unity. It requires us to come together in common love that defines us as Americans," he said.

Biden concluded his remarks at the Lincoln Memorial promising to give his all to the job of being President.

"So thank you for this honor. I will give my all to you," Biden said.

CNN's Maeve Reston contributed reporting to this post.

Watch:

Former President Barack Obama delivered a message of unity this evening while speaking with former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in a video message recorded this afternoon as part of the "Celebrating America" inauguration concert.

"We have got to not just listen to folks we agree with, but listen to folks we don't," said the the nation's 44th president. "One of my fondest memories of the inauguration, was the grace and generosity that President Bush showed me, and Laura Bush showed Michelle."

"If in fact...we are looking for what binds us together, the American people are strong, there're tough, they can get through hardship and there's no problem they cannot solve, when we are working together," he said. "...I think all of us discovered that we are at our best when we are all moving in the same direction."

Former President Bill Clinton reunited with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush to share their best wishes for President Joe Biden and to talk about the importance of a peaceful transfer of power.

Clinton, standing alongside Obama and Bush, spoke about why it's important to have a peaceful transfer of power, saying that while the change can be unusual, it is a way to "come back to normalcy."

"We are both trying to come back to normalcy, deal with totally abnormal challenges, and do what we do best, which is try to make a more perfect union. It's an exciting time," he said.

The message was shown during the “Celebrating America” inaugural special.

Former President George W. Bush joined former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton in honoring Joe Biden as America's new leader.

Bush added: "Mr. President, I'm pulling for your success. Your success is our country's success. God bless you."

In her first remarks to the nation as vice president, Kamala Harris highlighted American aspiration and said President Joe Biden has summoned the American people to look beyond crisis and aspire to unite.

"In many ways this moment embodies our character as a nation. It demonstrates who we are, even in dark times. We, not only dream, we do. We not only see what has been, we see what can be. We shoot for the moon, and then we plant our flag on it. We are bold, fearless and ambitious. We are undaunted, in our belief that we shall overcome, that we will rise up. This is American aspiration," Harris said.

Harris cited the accomplishments of President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, who "saw a better future and built it with land grant colleges, and the transcontinental railroad."

She highlighted how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for racial and economic justice.

"A great experiment, takes great determination. The will to do the work and then the wisdom to keep refining, keep tinkering, keep perfecting. The same determination is being realized in America today," Harris noted.

"I see it in the scientists who are transforming the future. I see it in the parents who are nurturing generations to come and in the innovators, the educators, in everyone, everywhere who is building a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. This too is American aspiration. This is what President Joe Biden has called upon us to summon now. The courage to see beyond crisis, to do what is hard, to do what is good, to unite, to believe in ourselves, believe in our country, believe in what we can do together," Harris said.

World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés joined a chorus of celebrities at the “Celebrating America” inaugural special, calling for an end to hunger crisis. 

“Food is not just a luxury for the lucky few, it’s basic human right to live free from hunger, but today, we have a hunger crisis in America,” Andres said. “One in four of our neighbors is going hungry.”

Andrés, who has spent much of 2020 feeding people on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic, praised Americans who are stepping up "through food banks, churches and organizations” to help provide aid to thousands of people. 

“Food is the fastest way to rebuild our sense of community,” Andres added. “We can put people back to work preparing it. We can put lives back together by fighting hunger. We need everyone to join this fight. We need longer tables not higher walls.”

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and American crew members from Expedition 64 celebrated Inauguration Day from the International Space Station roughly 200 miles above earth today.

President Joe Biden struck an upbeat note in his address to the nation tonight at the "Celebrating America" concert at the Lincoln Memorial saying he believed the best for the nation was yet to come.

After listing difficulties faced by the nation including the pandemic, an economic crisis, racial injustice, the climate crisis and internal threats to the country's democracy, Biden asked rhetorically if Americans were up for the challenge. 

"There isn't anything we can't do, if we do it together," he added. 

"So thank you for this honor, I will give my all to you," Biden said in closing.