Former President Barack Obama, joined by three other former presidents, celebrated the opening of his presidential center in Chicago. The event featured performances from A-list celebrities and musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Bono, Common, and John Legend. Notably absent was current President Donald Trump, who had previously called the $850 million center a "total disaster" in a social media post.
Michelle Obama delivered a strong speech, interpreted as a jab at Trump, just days after a UFC fighter made disparaging remarks about her. She referenced the "lies about your birthright" – a clear allusion to the "birther" conspiracy theory promoted by Trump. Michelle Obama also spoke about the current "anxious and divisive times," presenting the center as a "respite from all that." Barack Obama, although not mentioning Trump by name, spoke about core American values like character, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, and a sense of duty, emphasizing that these values are upheld by both Democrats and Republicans.
The nearly 20-acre campus in Jackson Park, Chicago, close to where Obama began his political career, is expected to draw over a million visitors annually. Beyond a museum chronicling the story of the nation's first Black president and first lady, the site includes a Chicago Public Library branch, basketball courts, a playground, an athletic center, and a picnic area. The project, which was privately funded with a reported $850 million price tag, faced some local opposition, legal battles, cost overruns, and delays, as well as fears among residents about gentrification on the South Side.
