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Fire captain Andrea Hall delivers inaugural Pledge of Allegiance using American Sign Language

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Fire captain delivers inaugural Pledge of Allegiance using sign language
Erin Schaff/Reuters
Kelly McCarthy
ByKelly McCarthy
January 20, 2021, 6:50 PM

A Georgia fire captain blazed a historic trail at the inauguration ceremony for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Capt. Andrea Hall of the city of South Fulton deliveres the pledge of allegiance during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021.
Erin Schaff/Reuters

Andrea Hall, the first Black woman to serve as fire captain for the South Fulton County Fire Rescue, took center stage on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol to lead the spoken and signed Pledge of Allegiance.

As Hall recited the familiar pledge, she also led the now-President Biden, Vice President Harris, their attendees and viewers in American Sign Language.

President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill look on during the national anthem during his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington.
Jonathan Ernst/AP

Before Biden and Harris were officially sworn into office, the pair's inaugural committee prioritized accessibility at the swearing-in ceremony "allowing everyone to engage with our programs," the organization said in a statement.

Hall, 47, is also president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3920, has 28 years of service as a firefighter under her belt and was promoted to the higher rank in 2004.

Ahead of the momentous event, she spoke to the Atlanta Journal-Constiution about being a part of the dynamic group of presenters at the 59th inaugural ceremony.

"I just am intending to represent, my family, the city of South Fulton, women, African American women, firefighters, and everyone in the nation, well," Hall told the local paper.

Kamala Harris bumps fists with Joe Biden after being sworn in as Vice President of the United States during the inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2021.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Social media users took to Twitter to applaud Hall's delivery and presentation in sign language.

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