Obama in Hyde Park: 'We are close to getting things going'
Former President Barack Obama, speaks during a meeting of Obama Presidential Center stake holders at the Obama Foundation, 5235 S. Harper Court, Tuesday, Aug. 28. – Marc Monaghan
Former President Barack Obama made a surprise appearance at The Obama Foundation in Harper Court today, thanking Foundation workers, luminaries like Leon Finney and Timuel Black, Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) and other stakeholders for their support of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC), which he believes "will end up being one of the wonderful institutions of Chicago."
Obama acknowledged the OPC would not be a quick project. He expressed hope, however, that generations of Chicagoans would enjoy it for years to come and that it would be an "anchor for the kinds of renewal and economic activity and opportunity that so many of you have worked for, for so very long."
He said work would be done alongside the crowd to complete the OPC on schedule and on budget, saying "we're well on the way to raising the money that's necessary to make it happen."
Louise McCurry, president of the Jackson Park Advisory Council, smiles as she is singled out for praise by Obama Foundation Director of Civic Engagement, Michael Strautmanis, for her long-standing efforts in support of Jackson Park during a meeting of Obama Presidential Center stake holders at the Obama Foundation, 5235 S. Harper Court, Tuesday, Aug. 28. – Marc Monaghan
Much of the speech was a paean to Hyde Park; he noted that his first Chicago apartment was only a few blocks away, at 51st Street and Blackstone Avenue, and that he built his family and political life here.
"This is where I became a man," he said. "This is where I learned how to work in communities. This is where I came to the belief that when you involve people and engage people and empower people that good things happen."
Obama said he and the former First Lady Michelle Obama wanted to ensure the OPC was "a tribute to all the people and the forces in the community that help to make this so special," that it stood "consistent" with the other lakefront museums, alluding to the underdevelopment of the South Side compared with the North Side of the Chicago. He used the phrase "Museum Campus South," one that could match the one downtown.
Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) and Obama Foundation Director of Civic Engagement Michael Strautmanis listen as Ameena Matthews of CeaseFire speaks during a meeting of Obama Presidential Center stake holders at the Obama Foundation, 5235 S. Harper Court, Tuesday, Aug. 28. – Marc Monaghan
"How do we make sure the community benefits from our presence?" Obama asked, answering that the OPC construction is guided by "making sure we're involved with the community and the process," lessons he learned as a young man on the South Side.
Each stage of planning had been an improvement over the last, "because all of you know what the community needs — better, in some cases, than we did — and all of you weren't shy about telling us what was needed to make sure this was effective," he said to laughs.
Obama Foundation CEO David Simas and Chief Engagement Officer Michael Stautmanis hosted a question-and-answer forum with the crowd before and after Obama's speech.
Union ironworker Japlan Allen praised the jobs that building the OPC would bring to the community and looked forward to its completion.
Historian, Author and Educator Timuel Black acknowledges the applause of a group of Obama Presidential Center stake holders attending a meeting at the Obama Foundation, 5235 S. Harper Court, after he was singled out for praise by former President Barack Obama, Tuesday, Aug. 28. – Marc Monaghan
"When my children want to go on a field trip to the Obama museum, I'm taking off work, because I'm going with them," she said.
Jahkin Jackson, 10, a student at Ray Elementary School, echoed these sentiments, saying how much he looked forward to visiting the OPC.
"I cannot wait for the day that those doors open on that museum and for you to walk in and just see what is possible," Simas said to Jackson.
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doug shaeffer
August 28, 2018 @ 8:47 pm
i hope and pray this is not a done deal. it's a terrible thing to confiscate public parkland for a private institution, not to mention the whirlwind of gentrification it is already causing.
I heartily agree. This should be prevented.
Harold L. Lucsa
More concerned about the regentrification and youth gang murder and mayhem occurring around the site of the proposed Obama Presidential Center! What are you going to do about that former President Barrack Obama?
It's not a museum. It's a center Obama will use to indoctrinate young people to his politics. And we the taxpayers get to pay $175 million for this?
M Hernandez
This whole project could have been done on the site where Michael Reese was without the park and road disruption which it will cause But the donors did not want it there. (University of Chicago)
As a result it will be for the "new" population coming for gentrified Hyde Park. You who trust the Obama foundation will not be there in 10 years as you will be priced out
This is in sync with our current Mayor to make this Chicago one monies, one class and one race with some people of color who can afford to live in Chicago
Remember he was handpicked by Mr. Obama
Chicago has become the murder capital of the United States, yet Obama did nothing about it when he was President, and he certainly is not doing anything about it now. Neither has Emanuel who was picked by Obama. On July 4, 100 people were shot, and 14 were murdered. Where is Obama on this? Money and effort should be spent on at least keeping some of what is left of the history and atmosphere of Hyde Park intact. Then hard work must be focused on ending the gang murders on the south side, rather than to build an expensive and useless monument to a president that did nothing about these issues when he was president, and he is doing nothing about them now. Please keep our beautiful historic parks, and build this monstrosity somewhere else, like Obama's home state, which has been the tradition for every other president.
Hyde Park is being over-sold. Construction is booming, but it has changed the atmosphere and historic landscape of the area. Once the feeding frenzy is over, prospectors will move on to new territory, leaving vacancies behind in the high rise eye-sores. I hope the OBC will not be built here. We need to protect our parks and the historic nature of the area, rather than to throw money away on narcissistic projects to enrich the rich. What should be funded are efforts to end the murder and shootings. Chicago is now the murder capital of America. On July 4 more than 100 people were wounded by gun fire, and 15 people were killed. Where is Obama, where is Emanuel on this? The OBC should be built in Obama's home town, as is traditionally done for every president, and he should use his clout to bring down the murders in the city he seems to love.
Keith Harrison
I'm looking forward to the OPC's opening. It'll be a very positive addition to the South Side and will serve as a much needed economic catalyst.
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