Three Former Presidents Celebrate Opening of Obama Presidential Center
Projecting a message of hope characteristic of his time in the White House, former President Barack Obama urged the nation to resist resorting to "cynicism and despair" when speaking on the day of his presidential center's opening. Read on for the details of the Obama Presidential Center.
Hope and Optimism Abound on Chicago's South Side
The much-anticipated Obama Presidential Center opened its doors this week on Chicago's South Side. Thursday's opening ceremony featured a cornucopia of musical guests intertwined with speakers representative of Obama's time in office. The 44th president never mentioned President Donald Trump by name; however, he was quick to praise his former rivals, crediting them with supporting the "peaceful transfer of power."
During his address to the thousands of people gathered at the center site, Obama struck the balance between reflecting on the past while also looking toward the future. The former president called on Americans to focus on the future, saying that “We want to find a way to look toward each other again, not further away.”
Most notably, Obama lauded his past political adversaries, including former Sen. Mitt Romney and the late former Sen. John McCain. Romney and McCain were Obama's two Republican opponents during these presidential campaigns. Both of the men went on to become two of Trump's fiercest critics.
As has been the case in recent years, former first lady Michelle Obama stole the spotlight in her address. Michelle Obama reminded Americans about the importance of staying engaged in politics and the world around them. While she also did not call out Trump personally, she touched on his controversial immigration policies, noting that “No one has the right to sit in judgment of who’s American enough.”
The opening ceremony was a who's who of the nation's political landscape. In attendance to celebrate the event were former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Joe Biden. All three of their wives were also in attendance. It was reported that Trump was not invited to the event.
Several of the world's hottest musical acts also performed at the ceremony, representing a wide array of genres reflective of American culture. Appearing on stage were stars such as Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Marc Anthony, Eddie Vedder, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Common, and Christina Aguilera.
About the Obama Presidential Center
Members of the Obama camp have been quick to point out that the center is not just a presidential library. Instead, the center is being billed as a place for the community to gather to celebrate and reflect. The massive campus has been in the works for over a decade, costing a total of $850 million.
In addition to the traditional aspects of a presidential library, the sprawling grounds are home to a garden, a museum, and a basketball court. The grounds also include a new branch of the Chicago Public Library, amplifying Obama's commitment to literacy.
Modern-day presidents have followed the practice of opening a research library. However, Obama is departing from this classic framework to make his center a more accessible and attractive public gathering space.
While the opening ceremony was held on Thursday, the center officially opened to the public on Friday. The opening date fell on Juneteenth, a new federal holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Unlike other presidential libraries across the country, no records from the Obama administration will be stored on site in Chicago. In addition, no government archivists will be located on site at the center. Instead, all of the records will be maintained privately by the nonprofit Obama Foundation. The presidential archive will be run by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For the first time in history, the archives are fully digital. The Obama Foundation confirmed that about 30 million pages have been digitized to maintain the record.
Obama said that the digitization provides a greater degree of access. The actual papers and other historical artifacts are being stored at the National Archives facility located in College Park, Maryland.
Center officials also noted that the facility is not just an account of what the Obama administration accomplished during its eight years in the Oval Office. The center also includes a section detailing "The Work That Remained." Included in this section are the items that Obama had set out to accomplish but failed, including gun violence and immigration reform.
Obama was careful to note that his center is not just a remembrance of the past. The former president wants his legacy to reflect a forward-looking endeavor. When wrapping up his address, Obama said that “We can learn from the past, but America’s story isn’t frozen in the past. It has chapters yet to be written, not by one person or a few people, not by Barack or Michelle or anybody with a fancy title or a higher office, but by all of us.”
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