The Obama Presidential Center is set to open Thursday on Chicago’s South Side, a landmark event more than five years in the making. The center aims to tell the story of the nation’s first Black president and first lady while honoring civil rights leaders who inspired them, including Fannie Lou Hamer.
Centered around the Fannie Lou Hamer Walkway, the space serves as a contemplative garden at the campus entrance. It features lush plantings and stone hardscapes and honors Hamer, a Mississippi sharecropper and voting rights activist who co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. The walkway is part of a broader effort to commemorate figures who fought for democracy and social justice, according to the Obama Foundation.
Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the foundation, said in a news release that the honored leaders demonstrate that one voice can change the world. Hamer’s niece, Monica Land, praised the recognition, saying her aunt would be proud to see her legacy celebrated.
Additional signage inside the center features a quote from Hamer: “And it’s no easy way out. We just got to wake up and face it, folks. And if I can face the issue, you can too.” The walkway was supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
Hamer, a fearless grassroots organizer, helped register thousands to vote despite threats and violence. Her testimony at the 1964 Democratic National Convention after her brutal jail beating brought national attention to her cause. She died in 1977 from breast cancer and related health issues.
The $380 million, 19.3-acre center also includes spaces dedicated to other civil rights leaders, such as the Claudette Colvin Program Room, Dorothy Height Sky Room Vista, Thurgood Marshall Courtyard, and Rosa Parks Courtyard Lounge. These spaces serve as lasting tributes and reminders of the ongoing fight for justice.
The center features a fully digital museum with interactive exhibits covering Obama’s campaigns, presidency, and White House life. It also includes art installations, a Chicago Public Library branch, athletic facilities, and community gathering spaces. A grand opening ceremony for family members and select guests will be held Thursday.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
