In a historic ceremony that bridges New York City’s storied past with its progressive future, Zohran Mamdani was officially sworn in as mayor in a private midnight ceremony conducted by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The early Thursday morning event took place at the Old City Hall Station, a decommissioned subway stop rich in historical significance.

Surrounded by family members, Mamdani took his oath on a Quran, making him both the first Muslim mayor of New York City and the first to use the Islamic holy book during the swearing-in ceremony.

The choice of location was deeply symbolic, according to the Mamdani transition team. The Old City Hall Station, one of the original 28 subway stations that opened in 1904, represents the “lifeblood of New York” and serves as a “reminder of the city Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is fighting for: a city built by and for New Yorkers.”

“When Old City Hall Station first opened in 1904, it was a physical monument to a city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working peoples’ lives,” Mamdani said in a press release. “That ambition need not be a memory confined only to our past, nor must it be isolated only to the tunnels beneath City Hall: it will be the purpose of the administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above.”

The socialist mayor-elect added that taking his oath “from the station at the dawn of the New Year” left him “humbled by the opportunity to lead millions of New Yorkers into a new era of opportunity, and honored to carry forward our city’s legacy of greatness.”

A more public inauguration is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. on the steps of City Hall. In a departure from tradition, where inauguration tickets are typically limited to around 4,000 attendees, the Mamdani administration has extended an invitation to all New Yorkers to attend both the ceremony and a block party immediately following.

The public event will feature opening remarks from Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, with Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders conducting the swearing-in. Both politicians are prominent figures in the progressive movement that helped propel Mamdani to victory.

Mamdani’s rise in New York politics has been meteoric. When he announced his mayoral campaign in October 2024, polling showed him with single-digit support. Just over a year later, he soundly defeated high-profile candidates including former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the November election.

His victory represents a significant shift in the political landscape of America’s largest city, which has often served as a bellwether for national political trends. Mamdani joins a growing list of progressive candidates who have secured notable electoral victories in recent years, reflecting what some analysts see as increasing voter appetite for more left-leaning policies in urban centers.

The inauguration caps a tumultuous political year that saw significant Republican losses in off-year elections and the continued rise of socialist candidates in various races across the country.

For New York City, Mamdani’s election signals potential policy shifts in areas including housing, transportation, and social services. His choice of the subway station for his private swearing-in suggests public transportation will be a priority for the new administration, which faces significant challenges including post-pandemic recovery, ongoing housing affordability issues, and public safety concerns.

As the city turns the page to a new year and a new administration, all eyes will be on how Mamdani’s progressive vision translates into governance for the nation’s largest metropolis.