Every U.S. president eventually has a presidential library, but Barack Obama chose a different path by creating the Obama Presidential Center instead.
Rather than serving primarily as an archive of his presidency, the center was designed as a space for leadership development, youth programs, civic participation, community engagement, and public gathering.
Located on Chicago’s South Side, where Obama began his career as a community organizer, the center reflects his belief that leadership is about preparing the next generation, not simply preserving the past.
Supporters say the project is intended to be a living community resource that invests in people and encourages civic action long after his presidency.

Every history book should talk about President Barack Obama and 1st Lady Michelle Obama.

The Spelman Seven Valedictorians:

• Alexis Sims — Political Science and Philosophy (from Atlanta, GA)
• Nia-Sarai Perry — Philosophy (from Tallahassee, FL)
• Cori'Anna White — Political Science (from Miami, FL)
• Aiyana Ringo — Sociology (from New Orleans, LA)
• Alyssa Richardson — Biochemistry (from Washington, D.C.)
• Sophia Davis — Sociology and Anthropology (from Brooklyn, NY)
• Mariama Diallo — Documentary Filmmaking and Psychology (from Brooklyn, NY)

We will not tolerate ANY disrespect of this beautiful black queen!👑

• Joi Kayla Axem

• Kerri Danielle Barnes

• Nilajah Nyota Buchanan (Biology major, interned at NASA, heading to Emory for cardiology - has ambitions to address cardiovascular health disparities)

• Yasmin Aleksandria Davis

• Alaynah Eldridge (Double major in English Education and Literature)

• Darren Raymond Hall

• Keevion Hardamon (First-generation double major in electrical/computer engineering. Secured engineering position with NextEra Energy)

• Charniece Elliana Jones

• Brooklyn Monae Macklin

• Leah D. Saunders

Our babies are continuing the tradition of excellence

MY PRESIDENT

Growing up in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, an artist was surrounded by Eurocentric beauty standards heavily influenced by colonial history, where chemically straightened hair was aggressively pushed as the ultimate ideal. She was only four years old when her mother gave her her very first chemical hair relaxer. While no one blamed the parents of that era because the practice was universally normalized and never questioned, the experience deeply damaged how she viewed herself, causing her to spend her childhood genuinely hating her natural hair. Over time, however, she beautifully transformed that deep-seated pain into an empowering, viral artistic practice. Today, she creates mind-blowing, sculptural masterpieces using her own natural hair, thread, and wire. By taking anywhere from thirty minutes to six grueling hours to hand-craft each design and photographing herself using a tripod, she places Black women at the center of the fine art world, proving they are worthy of elite representation. While her choice to exclusively photograph herself has always been a deeply personal boundary, she recently broke her own rule for a profoundly special reason. For a vital section of her book, Love and Justice—which beautifully combines her striking hair sculptures with raw reflections on feminism and identity—she decided to sculpt someone else’s hair for the very first time. That person was her little sister and best friend, Florencia. In Ivorian culture, hair styling is a high-stakes act of vulnerability, as local tradition dictates that you only allow closely trusted individuals to touch your head due to spiritual beliefs. Spending several hours meticulously shaping both of their hairstyles so they could physically interact and hold their structure, the artist created a breathtaking visual manifestation of absolute trust, deep connection, and mutual support.

I miss this man so much.