Watch President and Mrs. Obama’s exciting announcement, including their reflections on what Chicago means to them..



Watch President and Mrs. Obama’s exciting announcement, including their reflections on what Chicago means to them.

Our entire road to groundbreaking has been building towards this moment. While we won’t be able to gather in person this fall, we are excited to connect virtually so we can celebrate Chicago and everyone who has helped bring the Obama Presidential Center to the South Side.


Together, we’re one step closer to creating a new destination to move visitors from hope to action, breathing new life into historic Jackson Park, and delivering amenities and economic benefits to the community the Obamas called home. 


We hope you’ll mark your calendars and stay tuned for ways you can participate online!


—The Obama Foundation

Trending Political Issues.

Al Franken: Senators Boxer, Gillibrand, Blumenthal and I are working to bring justice to victims of sexual assault in the military

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Dear Robert, We might not like to think that our men and women in uniform are at risk of being sexually assaulted when they volunteer to serve our country -- but the ugly truth is, it happens far too often. This month, the Department of Defense estimated that more than 26,000 cases of sexual assault took place in the military in 2012. It gets worse. The year before, only 10 percent of reported cases - only a fraction of the total - ever resulted in a trial where the victims could find justice. A stunning 62 percent of victims felt like they were retaliated against for coming forward. The system is broken. And we need to fix it. Click here to join me and Senators Barbara Boxer (CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) as we fight to fix our military’s response to sexual assault. Unbelievably, even if a jury does issue a conviction, senior military officers with no legal training -- and, often, glaring conflicts of interest -- can throw that conviction out with no e...
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Arne: overdue for revision

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If you’re like me, you probably dread an overdue notice, whether it’s for registering your car or returning a library book. For nearly a decade, our national K-12 education law has been overdue for revision, and parents, teachers, and students across the country have made it clear that it is time for a reboot. Over that period of time, America’s fourth graders became today’s high school seniors -- ready to graduate and embrace a bright future. The students who come behind them deserve a better law focused on one clear goal of fully preparing them for success in college and future careers. Although well-intended, the No Child Left Behind Act -- the most recent version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act -- has long been broken. We can no longer afford that law’s one-size-fits-all approach, uneven standards, and low expectations for our educational system. That’s why, early on, President Obama and I joined educators and families calling on Congress to fix its flaws. ...
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Annette: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

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Robert, I was horrified when I heard about yesterday's attack at Planned Parenthood where a police officer and two civilians lost their lives and nine others were injured. More than 32,500 Americans die from gun violence every year. One gun-related death is too many, yet Florida has some of the loosest gun regulations in the country. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence ranks the Sunshine State among the top 15 states with the least restrictive gun laws. The group scores states on safe gun regulations and out of a possible 100 points Florida scored a -20. That’s unacceptable! Enough is enough. Now is the time to address gun safety laws. Sign on now if you agree >> Gun violence tragedies have become way too common in our society. Yet we aren’t doing enough to address the problem. We can’t sit back and wait for the next mass shooting to occur. We must take action now. http://action.annettetaddeo.com/gun-safety Thanks for signing on, Annette
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Adam: House was finally taking a stand against the NRA

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Friend, Remember a few weeks ago when I told you the House was finally taking a stand against the NRA and proposing legislation to establish universal background checks on guns? Good news. That bill, known as HR 8, is now moving forward. And on Wednesday, the House held its first hearing on gun safety reform in eight years. It’s about damn time. While President Trump will have you believe there’s a national emergency at the border that requires a “big, beautiful wall” paid for by American taxpayers, the  real  crisis facing our country is the epidemic of gun violence. We must take action to reduce gun violence, and establishing universal background checks is a commonsense measure that 90 percent of Americans support.  That’s why I joined a bipartisan group of representatives in introducing this legislation and standing up to the gun lobby and the NRA. While this legislation moves forward in the House, we need to make it clear to the Republican-controlled ...
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Ashley: critical support

robert --  Thank you for joining Ashley Miller for State Representative. Your support is critical and I am glad you are part of this campaign.  Ashley Miller for State Representative http://www.ashleymiller2014.com/ Thanks again! Warmest Regards, Ashley Miller 
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Chicagoland has the highest rates of COVID transmission in nursing homes in the nation.

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  We are going to get through the coronavirus outbreak together. If you are experiencing symptoms or are looking for more information, you can visit the website of the  CDC  or the  Illinois Department of Health . We are closely monitoring the situation and its effects on the people of Illinois and our nation as we work together to keep our families and communities safe.   Robert, You don’t need us to tell you how challenging this year has been. But throughout Trump’s brazen, unhinged attempt to steal the election, a global pandemic, and one of the worst economic disasters for American workers in a century,  we’ve continued to work together towards a more progressive future. Your continued support — even during a global pandemic — is what keeps our grassroots team in the field and hard at work electing progressive leaders to represent our community in Springfield, in Cook County, and in Washington D.C. There’s still time to chip in $5 or what you can to mee...
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Matt Burgess: I just got an email

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“Al Franken must be defeated.” -- Conservative Campaign Committee email Dear Robert, I just got an email from the “Conservative Campaign Committee” about their upcoming attack ad against Al. “The goal of our first round of radio ads,” they write, “will be to lower Franken’s level of support and to put him in a position where he will be vulnerable for defeat.”  And they’re asking their Tea Party supporters to raise the last $2,000 or so they need to fund the buy. Well, I think we should show the Conservative Campaign Committee -- and all the other right-wing special interest groups targeting Al -- that it’s going to take more than a nasty attack ad to beat our people-powered grassroots machine. While they’re raising $2,000 to fund their smear attack, let’s raise $25,000 to fight back -- and let’s do it before Friday! Click here to give. This group may be about to launch its first round of ads -- but it won’t be the last, and they certainly won’t be the last shady group to g...
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Hillary Clinton Re: Renewed Hope

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  Dear Robert, We did it! In this incredible year, we have changed our politics, our country and our nation! And I could not be more proud or more grateful to you for sharing this journey with me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for everything you have done, for me, for Barack Obama , and for all our Democratic candidates, to make these successes possible. I know that President-Elect Barack Obama will lead our country in the new direction we need. And with the great success of our House and Senate candidates, we can make our agenda a reality. But make no mistake -- our work is not done! I will be doing everything I can in the Senate, working closely with the White House on the goals you and I set out. With President Obama and our strengthened majorities in Congress, we can get our economy back on track. We're going to make sure every man, woman, and child in America has health care. With smart, effective new policies, we will move toward energy inde...
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Katherine Archuleta: Today President Obama announced a common-sense policy change that will make our immigration system fairer and smarter.

Friend -- I wanted to make sure you saw the news: Today President Obama announced a common-sense policy change that will make our immigration system fairer and smarter. I'm proud to support it, and I hope you are, too. Under the administration's guidance, immigration courts are going to focus on deporting people who have been convicted of crimes or who pose a security risk. This means that the courts will focus less on "low-priority" cases -- like young people who were brought here as small children and know no other home, or veterans and military spouses. So the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice will be reviewing the current deportation caseload, clearing out low-priority cases, and making sure they don't get into the system in the first place -- keeping the focus on cases that will make our country safer. It's a smart, strategic change. And it will make a difference. But more comprehensive change requires Congress to act. ...
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Andy: Take action

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Dear Robert, While the Koch Brothers make billions off polluting our planet, polar bears are struggling as global warming melts away Arctic ice and threatens their future.  The Koch Brothers' dirty oil money funds a network of climate-denier groups and campaigns trying to block climate legislation. Our friends at the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund are fighting to make sure the Koch Brothers don't win. Take action to make sure your members of Congress will stand up to the Big Polluters who are trying to obstruct climate action! -Ross Wallen, USAction Polar Bears Going Hungry as Arctic Ice Diminishes Don't Let the Koch Brothers Win > > Dear Robert , High summer temperatures are melting away Arctic ice at alarming levels. And in response, Alaska's polar bears are going without food for longer and longer . Meanwhile, an in-depth report by American University's Investigative Reporting Workshop has uncovered that billionaire fos...
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