Former presidents, celebrities and residents of the South Side marked the opening of the $850 million, 19-acre campus.Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama returned to the theme of their roots on the South Side of Chicago.Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty ImagesJune 18, 2026, 8:11 PM EDTCHICAGO — He arrived as a wiry 23-year-old without much of a plan. Thursday, Barack Obama stood in nearly the same spot, now as a former president, staring up at a monument in his name. Just a moment.We are getting your experience ready.