President Obama’s Presidential Library!
Obama’s Presidential Library is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Chicago, US, Jun 17 (EFE).- By Alejandra Clements
Former United States President Barack Obama (2009–2017) inaugurated on Thursday the civic and cultural center in Chicago that celebrates the legacy of his years in the White House and offers a journey into the country’s recent political past.
The presidential library is an American tradition that began in the 1930s with Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945).
The Obama Presidential Center, located in Franklin Park, a historically poor, predominantly African American neighborhood in southern Chicago, represents a return to the values and principles that led the first African American politician to the Oval Office.
The famous slogan “Yes we can” and some of the former president’s most memorable speeches are displayed atop the Obama Tower, the main building and architectural highlight.
The complex, which is more than just a presidential library, consists of five buildings and numerous gardens. It also features an auditorium, an urban farm, and even an NBA-style basketball court.
During its inauguration on Thursday, the complex became the epicenter of American politics for a few hours.
The opening was attended by three former. presidents: George W. Bush (2001-2009) , Bill Clinton (1993-2001), and Joe Biden (2021-2025).
Other attendees included California Governor Gavin Newsom and Congresswoman and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
President Donald Trump was not invited, after he spent weeks comparing the center to a garbage dump by posting photos on his social media accounts showing the Obama Tower wrapped in a trash bag.
However, the shadow of Trump’s administration did reach Obama’s speech, as he recalled the “No Kings” citizens’ movement, which seeks to channel the American public’s discontent with what they consider authoritarian tendencies under the current government.
The entire Obama family, Barack, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, were at the center of some very emotional moments, such as the words Michelle dedicated to her husband.
“Eight years in the crucible, and not once did you melt from the heat. Not once did you let it harden you,” the former first lady said.
“Instead, you used it to reveal your truest essence, your stubborn optimism and unflinching courage, your dazzling brilliance and unpretentious decency, your ferocious work ethic and absolutely unshakable moral fiber, and to do it all as a first and the higher standard that comes with all that,” she added.
But beyond politics, the inspiration behind this space also extends to culture and music, and John Lewis Plaza, the public square that connects the entire Presidential Center, which on Thursday was transformed into a grand auditorium.
Stevie Wonder, Bono of U2, Edi Weder, and Bruce Springsteen (a frequent target of insults and attacks by Trump) provided the musical entertainment for the inaugural session.
However, the performance that undoubtedly got the audience was the Latin beat of Marc Anthony’s song “Vivir la vida.” EFE
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