What you need to know about governor-elect Wes Moore's inauguration ceremony
BALTIMORE - On Wednesday, Maryland will have a new governor.
Governor-elect Wes Moore will be sworn into office on Wednesday, Jan. 18 in Annapolis, taking the reigns from Gov. Larry Hogan to become the state's first Black governor.
Moore defeated Republican delegate Dan Cox in November's election.
Running-mate Aruna Miller is also set to make history as the first immigrant and woman of color to be elected to the state-wide office of lieutenant governor. She is the first South Asian woman to hold the office in U.S. history.
The ceremony is free and open to the public.
There will be a ceremonial 19-gun salute between 12:45 and 1 p.m. The Rowe Boulevard spur to Northwest Street will be temporarily closed while the salute occurs.
Here are the road closures and parking restrictions as provided by the office of Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. Some of the road closures will impact commuter bus routes.
Road Closures
Starting at 4 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 16 until approximately 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19:
College Ave from Church Circle to St. Johns Street will be closed
Bladen Street will be completely closed between College Avenue and Calvert Street
Starting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18 until 4 p.m on Wednesday:
State Circle
North Street
School Street
Francis Street
Bladen Street
College Avenue (Church Circle to Prince George Street)
East Street (State Circle to Fleet Street)
Maryland Avenue (Prince George Street to State Circle)
The city said all parking restrictions will be posted with signage 48 hours before closure.
No Parking Zones
Starting at 12 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19:
North Street will be a no-parking zone.
State Circle from Maryland Avenue to School Street will be a no-parking zone.
Starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14 until 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19:
North Street traveling towards State Circle will be closed to traffic. North Street traveling towards College Avenue will be open.
State Circle between North and School Streets will be closed to both traffic and parking. The entire area of Lawyer's Mall will be a restricted area with no pedestrian traffic permitted.
Starting at midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 (until approximately 4 p.m. on Jan. 18):
Maryland Avenue between State Circle and Prince George Street will be a no parking zone.
State Circle will be a no parking zone.
Francis Street between Main Street and State Circle will be a no parking zone.
College Avenue between King George Street and St. Johns Street will be a no parking zone.
Calvert Street between Bladen Street and Northwest Street will be a no parking zone.
St. Johns Street between Calvert Street and College Avenue will be a no parking zone.
PARKING
Free parking for inaugural attendees will be available at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Taylor Ave: Gates 5 and 6), then take the free shuttle between the stadium and the inauguration location.
For non-inaugural visitors, parking will be available at City garages including Park Place, Knighton and Gotts. From any of these garages, take the free Downtown "magenta" shuttle into Downtown (running approximately every 8 to 12 minutes).
Maryland State Police will set up security checkpoints and inspection sites on Wednesday at numerous locations around Downtown Annapolis. Businesses in the Downtown area should schedule deliveries before 6 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to reduce downtime for drivers due to these security checks and road closures.
Maryland State Police suggest that all visitors give themselves extra time due to the need for heightened security.
Moore to take oath on Frederick Douglass's Bible at swearing-in ceremony
When he takes oath, the governor-elect, who defeated Republican Dan Cox in the general election, will use Frederick Douglass's Bible and his grandfather's Bible.
Douglass, a Maryland native, received the Bible from members of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. over a century ago.
He was born into slavery and later escaped to become an abolitionist, author and speaker.
"Douglass was a proud Marylander and as your next governor, I will work every day to carry on his legacy of fighting for justice and equality," Moore said.
According to The Washington Post, the National Park Service approved Moore's request to use the Bible.
The Bible was a gift to Douglass in 1889 from the congregation of Washington's Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest Black churches in the District. It was presented to Douglass as he prepared to travel to Haiti to serve as President Benjamin Harrison's United States resident minister and consul general until July 1891, according to information provided by the National Park Service.
Wes Moore reflects on historic election as Maryland's first Black governor
Moore, an Army veteran and former nonprofit executive, is only the third Black person to be elected governor in US history. He defeated Republican Dan Cox in November by 32 points in the deep-blue state.
Moore said people voted for him "not just because" they wanted to see him make history, "but because they knew that together, we could actually build a state that everyone could believe in and everyone could thrive in."
"I'm a patriot and I was raised by patriots," said Moore, who served in Afghanistan.
"Our country is worth fighting for, but fighting for your country does not mean hating half of the people in it," Moore said. "And when we talk about patriotism, it means an ability to be able to lift everyone up -- to fight for each other, to believe in each other -- to believe that our country is great because we are inclusive."
Moore pointed to work, wages, and wealth as three primary policy areas he wants to focus on in office.
"For work, it means we're going to have an education system that is going to teach our students how not just to be employees but how to be employers," he said, noting that he has pushed a "service year option" for every high school graduate in Maryland. If enacted, the state would be the first in the country to adopt such a program, which would provide job training and mentorship to young Marylanders.
"For wages, it means that we are going to ensure that people can have good wages again for the jobs that they have because we still have too many people in this state that are working jobs -- and in some cases -- multiple jobs -- and still living below a poverty line," he said.
Moore also said he wants Maryland to lead the nation in tackling the racial wealth gap and "making sure that people can own more than they owe."
The incoming governor said that the best way to pay for state programs without raising taxes is to stimulate economic growth by introducing more job skill training to place people who are unemployed in open positions and offer child care to working parents.
Governor-elect Wes Moore, family tours Government House with outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan
Governor-Elect Wes Moore and his family toured Government House last month with outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan.
Government House, the governor's official residence, will be home to the Moores for the next four years.
"The governor showed us all the different rooms where you could have legislators or you could have business leaders or community groups," Gov.-Elect Moore said.
It was the second meeting for Moore and Hogan ahead of January's inauguration. The two met after Moore's historic win in November.
Governor-elect Wes Moore discusses humble beginnings, unifying Maryland with WJZ
Moore captured 63.29% of the vote, nearly double that of his Republican opponent Dan Cox.
He was the projected winner by the Associated Press shortly after polls closed on Election Day. However, it wasn't until last month when his victory was certified.
He told WJZ's Vic Carter his goal is to unify Marylanders.
"I think people are tired of being at each other's throats. Right? People are tired of cutting people off depending on their political party," Moore said. "We're on the campaign trail. And people will say to us, they'd say you know, 'you're going to a lot of areas that there's not a lot of democrats.' And my answer was simple. 'Yeah, but there's a lot of Marylanders.' And I hope to be their governor too."
Now assuming this mantle of leadership for the state of Maryland, and looking at the issues that affect people every single day, Moore says his number one priority is safety.
"Nothing is more important than that," he said. "Because if you really want to focus on economic growth, if a person does not feel safe, they will not stay. And if a person does not feel safe, they will not come. And so that means we've got to ensure that as a state government, we're working in partnership with local jurisdictions, federal partners, community organizations, to ensure that people have a better chance of feeling safe in their own communities, in their own homes and in their own skin."
Moore said he also must work to fill hundreds of vacancies in state government - including 200 in the office of parole and probation - and he must strengthen ties between Baltimore City and the governor's office.
AP calls Wes Moore as Maryland's first Black governor
Just as the clock hit 8 p.m. on Election Day, The Associated Press projected Moore as Maryland's governor.
He acknowledged the time has now come for him to deliver on the promises he made over a period of 16 months on the campaign trail.
Moore has said he believes it's vital to give students an early start to education access and he has a goal to provide free PRE-K for all children.
He's also pledged to provide job training to better match the skill set of workers with available jobs. He pledged to provide better transportation opportunities, especially for residents in areas like Baltimore city who rely on public transportation.
"In Baltimore, I met Shawn, a security guard who was working the midnight shift, and blowing his salary on Ubers because there was no reliable public transportation. And in Western Maryland, I met Shannon, a server who's still struggling, even with multiple jobs. After our conversation, he told me that I had his vote, but he had one ask, 'Don't forget about us.' Shannon, if you're watching, I want to tell you again what I told you that day: I will never forget about you. I will be thinking about you, and all the people I've met during this campaign, every day that I have the honor of serving as your governor," Moore said.
Moore also addressed the issue of crime that many Marylanders must often confront.
"We will work with police and communities to ensure public safety, to keep illegal guns and violent offenders off our streets.
In our Maryland, you will feel safe in your own neighborhoods— and safe in your own skin," said Moore.