The Obama Presidential Center Opens With Music, Tears, and Three Former Presidents

Obama Presidential Center

Chicago's South Side hosted the grand opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center on Thursday, an event landing on the eve of Juneteenth weekend. The livestream began at noon Eastern time, broadcasting the proceedings to anyone with an internet connection and a passing interest in presidential pageantry.

The event brought together politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes, and other internationally known figures, with three former presidents joining Barack Obama on stage. Obama and Michelle Obama shared the stage with their daughters, alongside former presidents Joe Biden, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, plus former first ladies Jill Biden, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton. Former Vice President Kamala Harris attended. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, considered a potential 2028 candidate, made an appearance.

The crowd assembled for the occasion read like a registry of people who rarely occupy the same room. Civil rights leaders Andrew Young and Al Sharpton attended, along with Oprah Winfrey, comedians David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Stephen Colbert, actor Tom Hanks, tennis legend Billie Jean King, and Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts. Steven Spielberg arrived with his wife Rita Wilson, joined by John Legend and Chrissy Teigen. Basketball player Dwyane Wade was present. International politics arrived through former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Winfrey's attendance traced back to 2008, when she campaigned for Obama in key primary states and hosted fundraisers on his behalf. Spielberg's connection to Obama grew over years into a genuine friendship rather than a transactional one. Few names on the list arrived as strangers to the man being honored.

The 19-acre campus includes a Chicago Public Library branch, a playground, a sledding hill, a cafe and restaurant, an athletic center, community spaces, and a ticketed museum departing from the traditional presidential library model. Construction spanned roughly a decade and carried a final cost of $850 million.

Musical performances matched the scale of the guest list. Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem, and Christina Aguilera performed a rendition of "What a Wonderful World." Eddie Vedder, accompanied by Chicago teenagers from the nonprofit Guitars Over Guns, debuted an original song titled "Better Believe," written specifically for the occasion. The Roots anchored the lineup as house band while Bono, John Legend, and Marc Anthony performed ahead of Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder, who closed the program with "Higher Ground" as former presidents and world leaders danced. Springsteen played alone, without the E Street Band. His rendition of the 2001 track "Land of Hope and Dreams" suited the occasion.

Michelle Obama asked her husband to look at her while she spoke. He declined, keeping his eyes lowered because he anticipated what was coming. He grew emotional regardless. Upon reaching the podium, Obama addressed his wife directly: "To Michelle, she did me wrong. She wouldn't let me see her speech. She knew she was going to mess me up, but she did it anyway." His remarks turned toward the peaceful transfer of power following free elections, and toward character traits he described as essential to public life, including honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, and a sense of duty and honor. He named no one in connection with those absent qualities.

Trump did not attend, nor was he invited, according to sources. No speaker or performer mentioned him during the ceremony either. His absence followed months of public criticism. In February, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the surrounding neighborhood was "ANGRY AS HELL" and described the project as "a total disaster." He later shared an AI-generated image depicting the building as an oversized trash can topped with a garbage bag. Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett responded by telling USA TODAY that Trump remained welcome to visit and tour the grounds himself. The White House offered no comment on his intentions.

Public access began the following day, Juneteenth, with opening weekend events continuing through the rest of the week and including live performances, arts and crafts, and meet-and-greets with local sports teams. Museum tickets are sold out through August.

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