Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park to open to public on Juneteenth

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Obama Presidential Center on the South Side will officially open to the public on June 19.

ABC7 saw members of the community gather at the Jackson Park site on Saturday evening for the announcement as lifelong Chicagoans say it is special to see this investment come to fruition.

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After nearly five years of construction, the Obama Presidential Center will be ready to open this summer.

The Obama Foundation made the announcement with community leaders and residents on the anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches, which marked a defining moment for voting rights.

"This building here is absolutely for the world, but please understand, it belongs to all of you," said former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

The gathering also honored former President Barack Obama's "You Are America" call to action, as those words are now etched onto the side of the museum building.

People living across the South Side say they are grateful to see this kind of investment in their community.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the community and for the youth to be able to have the Obama Library right here in our home, on the South Side of Chicago," said Triton College baseball head coach Earnest Radcliffe.

"Mr. Jackson would say, 'Keep hope alive,' and this is definitely a beacon of hope for a lot of people out in this community," said Chicago resident Alan Tabor.

The majority of the Presidential Center will be free and open to the public with amenities for children, including a playground and basketball court, as well as park space, art installations, and a branch of the Chicago Public Library.

Local educators who have participated in the project's planning say this will spark the next generation of leaders.

"It's a priceless experience to have a president from this city come back and care about the city in this way," said Burke Elementary Principal Lauren Norwood. "It's monumental for our youth, because it's something they've never been this close to."

While the former president was not in attendance on Saturday evening, he shared his thoughts in a video, acknowledging the final stages of this project.

"Starting on June 19, you can visit the Obama Presidential Center. This is not a monument to the past; it is a living destination for people who refuse to accept the status quo," he said in the video.

The opening ceremony is set for June 18 with Obama and many other notable officials expected to attend and more special events planned through that weekend.