The Obama Presidential Center is officially open to the public. Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama personally welcomed the first visitors to the incredible edifice that towers over the South Side of Chicago.
The Obamas also hosted previous Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Joe Biden alone with their spouses at a Grand Opening Ceremony which included the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Common, John Legend, Lala Anthony, Kelly Rowland and Tina Knowles. All four of the Obamas—including daughters Malia and Sasha—made a rare family appearance for the momentous occasion, while Michelle delivered one of the most beautiful tributes to her heroic husband, complete with a healthy dose of shade towards his haters.
The weekend of inaugural events began with a private event held for those who worked in the Obama administration during his 8-year tenure. During the evening, Michelle took to the microphone to share how deeply Barack was loved by her mother, whose face covered her custom-made Acne Studios skirt, and how he’d made her proud both in life and in death.
“He’s really messed up,” she said standing onstage beside a visibly emotional President Obama. “I’m giving him some time because this beautiful skirt that my stylist Meredith Koop picked out, that is my favorite portrait of my mom, he didn’t know it existed until just a few minutes ago. Marian would have been so proud, she was so proud of her son-in-law and the man that he is and has been to our family. Always dreaming probably way too big. But always pulling it off.”
Read more about the grand opening ceremony and the stars who came out to celebrate the Obama Presidential Center after the flip!
The Star-Studded Opening Ceremony Of The Obama Presidential Center
On Juneteenth, Barack and Michelle greeted visitors one by one as they took in the sights of the Obama Presidential Center for the first time. One of the cutest moments happened when our forever President took a little baby girl into his arms, calling her “our youngest future President,” while her mother and Michelle shared a hug. Visitors were seen experiencing a myriad of emotions while being in the presence of the Obamas and we can relate to every single one.
During the grand opening ceremony, Stevie Wonder took to the stage to serenade the crowd with some of his hits, including “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” which became the official anthem of Barack’s first campaign. The Obamas looked carefree and beautiful as they celebrated the culmination of years of hard work to bring the $850 million project to fruition. But it was the aforementioned speech by Michelle that truly put into perspective the kind of once in a lifetime person President Obama is and why this building is bigger than him.
However, in his speech, President Obama reminded Americans why they’d trusted him, for nearly a decade to lead this country. He delivered words bathed in honesty, transparency and true care for what the future holds for us all. He spoke to how the past has given us a roadmap to either succeed or fail as a nation while acknowledging his own uncertainty.
“It is a lot. For millions of people in this country and around the world, the future feels uncertain, the ground unstable beneath our feet,” he said. “And as algorithms keep feeding us a steady stream of distraction and outrage, as only the loudest, most extreme voices get attention, fanning our prejudices, appealing to our basest, most tribal instincts, it’s tempting to give in to cynicism and even despair, to stop trying.
We start thinking that appeals to democracy and civic participation are corny and old-fashioned and boring and naive, that the very idea of working on behalf of the common good is a sucker’s bet, and that in order for us to win, somebody else has got to lose.”
He continued,
“I get it. I am not immune to anger or doubt, but I do know this: When we lose faith in each other, when we stop believing that voting matters, that citizenship matters, that our collective voices matter, that how we treat each other no longer matters, and we give away our power to decide our own futures, we open the door to the most ruthless, or the most careless, or the most fearful among us, who see some groups and some people as more equal than others, and see government as nothing more than a way to divvy up the spoils and punish enemies and keep those who are different in their place.
I do not believe that is the story of America that prevails in the end.”
The Obama Presidential Center is slated to bring millions of visitors from all over the world to take in the promise, dedication, excellence and magic of the former President. But we can’t help but be grateful to have experienced a true, great leader in real-time. Looks like the South Side of Chicago will be more than just a disingenuous talking point for political pundits for many years to come.
