As President Joe Biden prepares to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress, it's interesting to look back at the history of this annual tradition in American politics.
The first State of the Union address was delivered by George Washington on January 8, 1790, in New York. However, it was Thomas Jefferson who decided to send written copies of his address to Congress in 1801, rather than delivering a speech in person, to break away from what he saw as an aristocratic tradition.
It was Woodrow Wilson who reintroduced the practice of delivering the address in person in 1913 and transformed it into a blueprint for the president's legislative agenda for the year.
Franklin D. Roosevelt popularized the term 'State of the Union' to refer to both the message and the event, and the tradition has continued ever since.
Technological advancements have also played a significant role in shaping the State of the Union address. Calvin Coolidge delivered the first radio broadcast in 1923, while Harry Truman's address in 1947 was the first to be televised. Lyndon B. Johnson recognized the importance of reaching a national audience and changed the timing of the speech to attract more viewers.
Not every president has delivered a State of the Union address in their first year in office. Several recent presidents, including Reagan, Clinton, Obama, Trump, and Biden, did not give an official address in their first year, as it would have come shortly after their inaugural speeches.
While most presidents have delivered the address in person, there have been exceptions. Truman, Eisenhower, and Carter sent their final messages in print, and Eisenhower even prepared a filmed summary from his retreat in Florida. Richard Nixon also sent a printed message in 1973.
Two presidents, William Henry Harrison and James A. Garfield, did not have the opportunity to deliver a State of the Union address due to their untimely deaths.
