Obama Foundation announces June opening for Chicago's Obama Presidential Center

The Obama Foundation announced on March 7 that the Obama Presidential Center will officially open its doors on Chicago's South Side this summer. In a press release, the Obama Foundation announced that the 19.3-acre campus in Jackson Park will host its grand opening celebrations from June 18 through June 21.

On Thursday, June 18, an invitation-only dedication ceremony will be livestreamed from the campus's John Lewis Plaza. According to the foundation, "legendary performances by global icons and powerful remarks from today's most prominent voices." Following the dedication, the campus, including the museum, public areas, and library branch, will open to the general public on June 19, coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday. June 20 and 21 will see community celebrations throughout the campus.

"It is easy to look around right now and feel like the challenges we face are simply too big. But hope is not about ignoring the hard stuff. It is that thing inside us that insists something better awaits if we are willing to work for it," former president Barack Obama said in a video announcement. "Here on the South Side of Chicago, hope is getting a permanent home. Starting on June 19, you can visit the Obama Presidential Center. This is not a monument to the past; it is a living destination for people who refuse to accept the status quo. If you feel that way, this is your invitation to join us," he added. 

Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett said that the opening of the Obama Presidential Center would be "a beacon of hope to the world and a place where we hope guests will be inspired to bring change home to their communities." "We have always believed in the power of ordinary people to come together to make extraordinary change," Jarrett said. "The Obama Presidential Center is about the everyday people who make our democracy work, not just those we see in the headlines. As President Obama said: It is easy to look around right now and feel like the challenges we face are simply too big. But hope is not about ignoring the hard stuff. It is that thing inside us that insists something better awaits if we are willing to work for it. That is the spirit of the Obama Presidential Center. We can't wait to welcome people this June," he added.

In a post on Instagram, Obama wrote that visitors would see the words 'You are America' when they look up at the Obama Presidential Center’s Museum building. "Those words come from a speech I gave in Selma on the 50th anniversary of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They're meant to honor the men and women who came before us, and to inspire the next generation to be messengers of hope. That hope will have a home at the Obama Presidential Center," he wrote. In terms of guests attending the June 18 event, reports confirmed that former President George W. Bush has been invited, while President Donald Trump has not received an invitation.