How the President’s State of the Union Address Became an Annual Tradition

The roots of the event go back to the nation's founding. But when one president chose to avoid the spotlight, his precedent stuck—for nearly a century.

Sarah Pruitt

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address in the House chamber in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015.

Published: January 21, 2025

Last Updated: January 31, 2025

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About the author

Sarah Pruitt

Sarah Pruitt is a writer and editor based in seacoast New Hampshire. She has been a frequent contributor to History.com since 2005, and is the author of Breaking History: Vanished! (Lyons Press, 2017), which chronicles some of history's most famous disappearances.

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