Bernie Sanders mittens
Photographer: Brendan Smialowski (AFP)
Date: January 20, 2021
Location: U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., USA
Brendan Smialowski of AFP photographed Senator Bernie Sanders sitting alone in a folding chair at the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, wearing a bulky winter coat and distinctive hand-knitted mittens made by Vermont schoolteacher Jen Ellis. Sanders's practical, isolated posture amid the formal ceremony contrasted with the ornate surroundings and became an instant viral meme. Within hours, users around the world began photoshopping Sanders into famous paintings, historical photographs, and film scenes. The mittens became so famous that Ellis was inundated with requests; she later made mittens for a charity auction that raised over $40,000. Sanders appeared on merchandise, and the meme was credited with bringing widespread attention to Vermont's hand-knitting community.
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