Oprah, Gov. Newsom, Billie Jean King among dignitaries, celebrities at grand opening ceremony
Oprah, Tom Hanks and Billie Jean King were among the dignitaries and celebrities at the Obama center grand opening ceremony.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was also in attendance.
"At time of just so much anxiety, despair, so much negativity, focusing on what's wrong, it's nice to see the spirit elevated at a time when I don't care, Republican, Democrat, a Trump supporter or not. We all need our spirit elevated," Newsom said.
Newsom and others said the ceremony was a reminder of what was and what American can still become.
"It's so wonderful to have this moment come in our history, particularly at this time," Santita Jackson said.
And the ceremony was a big family reunion for all the people who worked for Obama at the White House and during his campaigns, including former Staffer Tommy Vietor, now a host of "Pod Save America."
"I love the combination of great music and fun bands and cool people, and then all the stuffy nerds I worked with at the White House. You can see some economists dancing with Stevie Wonder," Vietor said.
There was deep pride among people who worked with the former president when he began his political career on the South Side.
"We used to play golf just down the street at Jackson Park, and nobody knew who he was. He lived just down the street; his office was down the street. So this neighborhood's about him, and I'm really proud of everything that they've done," former campaign manager Dan Shoman said.
