Washington - Denzel Washington, the actor who helped shape the image of the modern African-American on the big screen, Tuesday said Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th US president was a tribute to the sacrifices of civil rights activists who went before him.

"We waited a long time to get here, but we have to be involved. It's about all of us," Washington told reporters.

He was among the 240,000 VIPs waiting in minus-5-degree Celsius temperatures near the steps of the US Capitol, where Obama, 47, will be sworn in as US president at
1700 GMT.

"There's been a lot of change to lead to this moment. Many came before him, made sacrifices for this day to happen. It's for them," the 54-year-old actor said. dpa