Fannie Lou Hamer Walkway: Obama Presidential Center
6001 South Stony Island, Chicago, IL | (773) 900-0044
Dedication Ceremony: June 18, 2026 | Official Opening: June 19, 2026
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk in the Inaugural Parade on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC.
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, becoming the first Black American to be so.Prior to the opening of the first of its kind Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois, officials said the Obamas praised those “on whose shoulders we stand” whose sacrifices made his historic win possible.To honor those courageous pioneers, the Obama Center features several dedicated spaces named for those individuals, including the Fannie Lou Hamer Walkway that greets visitors as they enter the new civic, cultural, and educational destination.Other dedicated spaces include the Claudette Colvin Program Room, the Dorothy Height Sky Room Vista, the Thurgood Marshall Courtyard, the Andrew Young Collections Suite and the Rosa Parks Courtyard Lounge. Officials said, “these named spaces will serve as lasting tributes to the giants of history, reminding every visitor that they, too, have the power to leave a lasting mark on the world.”
The signage honoring the late civil rights activists leads visitors into the new Obama Presidential Center (OPC)deeply rooted in community and public engagement. The OPB boasts a library, museum, a garden, a replica of the Oval Office, cafe, athletic facilities and community.
Located in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South SIde - where the Obama’s journey began - the $380 million, 19.3 acre facility opens to the public on June 19, 2026.