The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago will officially open its doors to the public on Juneteenth, following a dedication ceremony on Thursday featuring a lineup of notable musicians and former presidents. Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Vedder, John Legend, Marc Anthony, and The Roots are slated to perform or appear at the invite-only event.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are also expected to attend the ceremony. Barack and Michelle Obama will deliver remarks. Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, described the event as aiming to foster a "spirit of inspiration and joy" and to encourage people to "believe in their power to bring change home."
The $850 million center, located on Chicago's South Side in Jackson Park, is situated near where Obama lived and began his political career. The nearly 20-acre campus includes a museum dedicated to the political and personal journey of the nation's first Black president, alongside public spaces such as a branch of the Chicago Public Library, a playground, an athletic center, basketball courts, and a picnic area.
While the dedication ceremony is private, it will be livestreamed. General admission tickets for the center are reportedly sold out through the end of October, with tens of thousands of visitors having already received a sneak peek. The center is anticipated to draw over 1 million visitors annually.
Notably absent from the announced guest list is former President Donald Trump, who had previously referred to the center as a "total disaster."