Obama Foundation Announces Spaces Named for Civil Rights and Democracy Leaders

June 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM CDT

CHICAGO — The Obama Foundation today announced a selection of spaces in the Obama Presidential Center that honor the civil rights and democracy leaders who inspired President and Mrs. Obama’s own leadership journeys and represent those “on whose shoulders we stand” as people across the country and around the world seek to advance progress, dignity, and inclusion in our societies. These spaces were made possible through the generous support of individual and institutional donors committed to advancing our democracies through belonging and action.

“President and Mrs. Obama have always been clear that their ability to make change was made possible through the example of leaders, who, through their commitment, sacrifice, and passion, fought for a world where everyone has a voice,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “The honorees we are naming today are giants of democracy who showed us all that one voice can change a room and together we can change the world.” 

The spaces announced today include:

  • Rachel Carson Reading Garden: Located just off the Library, this intimate green space offers visitors a lush, secret-garden retreat for reading and reflection. It honors the trailblazing biologist and author of Silent Spring , whose groundbreaking research exposed the dangers of chemical pesticides and sparked the modern environmental movement. This space is made possible through the generous support of Amy Goldman Fowler and Family.

  • Claudette Colvin Program Room: Located on the west side of the Democracy in Action Lab, within the Forum building, this tech-equipped room overlooks an adjacent outdoor courtyard and offers a collaborative space for community groups and emerging leaders to practice the critical thinking and open dialogue essential to democratic engagement. It honors the courageous civil rights pioneer who, at just 15 years old, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus and served as a key plaintiff in the Supreme Court case, Browder v. Gayle, that ended bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama and the United States—illustrating the vital role of young people in advancing lasting change. This space is made possible through the generous support of Allstate. 

  • Fannie Lou Hamer Walkway: Serving as a "park within a park" entrance to the campus, this walkway blends lush plantings and stone hardscapes to provide a contemplative transition between the Library and Forum buildings. It honors the civil rights leader and National Women’s Political Caucus co-founder who brought national attention to the indignities faced by Black Americans and demonstrated the power of determination in the fight for voting rights. This space is made possible through the generous support of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. 

  • Dorothy Height Sky Room Vista: Located on the top floor of the Museum building, this free space offers a breathtaking culmination to the visitor experience, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing panoramic views of Lake Michigan and the northern end of Jackson Park, where the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is located. Serving as a companion to the adjacent Sky Room, this light-filled vista will welcome daytime guests via direct elevator and transform into an elegant evening reception venue. It honors the influential civil rights leader and president of the National Council of Negro Women who advised U.S. presidents over four decades, using her quiet diplomacy to bridge the racial and gender justice movements while advancing voting rights, education, and economic opportunity for all. This space is made possible through the generous support of Joan Klein Jacobs and Irwin Mark Jacobs. 

  • Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel Exhibition Gallery, The People's House: Located on Museum Level 4, this space immerses visitors in the energy and diversity of life in the Obama White House, featuring a full-scale recreation of the Oval Office alongside the Life in the White House Exhibit. Designed as a forum for active engagement, it celebrates a wide range of voices, perspectives, and achievements. The space honors Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a pioneering spiritual and civil rights leader who believed that true faith demands courageous moral action. This experience is made possible through the generous support of The Crimson Lion / Lavine Family Foundation.

  • Grace Hopper East Dining Terrace: Tucked into a lushly landscaped courtyard and connected to the Center’s restaurant, Tafari’s Kitchen, by bronze-framed glass doors and double-height windows, the East Dining Terrace offers a quiet place to enjoy a meal, gather with others, or simply linger and take in the surrounding scenery. It honors the pioneering computer scientist and U.S. Navy rear admiral who shaped modern computing, inspiring others through her tenacity, curiosity, and extraordinary innovation. This space is made possible through the generous support of The Goldberg Family Foundation.

  • Michael Jordan Exhibition Gallery, Toward A More Perfect Union: Located on Museum Level 2, this exhibit explores the early influences that shaped the Obamas’ lives and immerses visitors in the grassroots energy of the historic 2008 presidential campaign. It honors the global sports icon and philanthropist whose transcendent athletic career and business acumen broke international barriers.

  • Nelson Mandela Sky Room: Located on the highest level of the Museum building, the Sky Room will be among the most iconic spaces at the Obama Presidential Center. Open to all guests at no charge, the 3,169-square-foot sanctuary invites visitors to pause, reflect, and consider their own role in shaping a more hopeful future. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping views of Jackson Park and Chicago’s South and West Sides through excerpts from President Obama’s speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery Marches, rendered in five-foot-tall letters on the building’s exterior. Covering the ceiling of the Sky Room, Pakistani-British artist Idris Khan’s immersive installation, Sky of Hope —composed of thousands of hand-stamped words from that same speech—envelops the space in reflection, memory, and possibility. The Sky Room honors the visionary South African leader who spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid, and who chose reconciliation with restitution over revenge to guide his country toward democracy, demonstrating that lasting change requires moral clarity, sacrifice, and a willingness to see opponents as partners in building a more equal and humane society.

  • Protecting and Defending, in honor of George C. Marshall: Located on Museum Level 3, this core exhibit examines the administration’s leadership and decision-making during eight years of war, featuring a large-scale media program and soundscape highlighting service members and military families. It honors the soldier, statesman, and architect of the Marshall Plan whose commitment to service and postwar peacemaking earned him the Nobel Peace Prize. This space is made possible through the generous support of Dagmar Dolby and Family. 

  • Thurgood Marshall Courtyard: Nestled on the campus's Lower Level, this “miniature park” provides a sunlit, natural greenspace that seamlessly connects the Center’s Forum, Museum, and Library buildings. It honors the pioneering civil rights lawyer and first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice whose tireless legal strategies dismantled segregation in public schools and reshaped American constitutional law. This space is made possible through the generous support of Peter and Maria Kellner. 

  • Joseph Medicine Crow Exhibition Gallery, We the People: Located on Museum Level 5, this interactive gallery invites visitors to examine the role we all play in building a more perfect union, as they hear from leaders and everyday people across the globe who have driven lasting change through immersive exhibits such as Innovating for Change and A More Inclusive America . Featuring layered media and vibrant art installations by Jeffrey Gibson and Jules Julien, as well as a dedicated Storybooth and the Yes You Can! digital button-making experience, visitors are inspired to articulate their own goals and take action, joining a continuum of past and present changemakers. The gallery honors the World War II veteran, historian, and the last traditional war chief of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe who worked tirelessly to preserve native history, demonstrating that we can find great strength in honoring where we come from. This space is made possible through the generous support of Eric and Wendy Schmidt. 

  • The Oval Office: Located in the Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel Exhibition Gallery, a re-creation of the Oval Office will be a highlight for visitors of all ages. Ambient sounds bring to life events, visits, work, and playful moments that took place in the Oval Office. This space is made possible through the generous support of Shonda Rhimes.

  • Rosa Parks Courtyard Lounge: Located just off the Museum’s Lower Level lobby, this bright, 724-square-foot lounge features floor-to-ceiling windows with unobstructed views of the adjacent courtyard. Serving as a key visitor thoroughfare, this versatile space will host group orientations and offer a contemplative setting for reflection and connection. It honors the lifelong civil rights leader whose courageous refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus helped spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and who dedicated her life to organizing, mentoring, and advocating for racial equality, demonstrating how bravery and persistence can transform history. This space is made possible through the generous support of The Kresge Foundation.

  • We the People Landing: Located on the Museum's Lower Level, this light-filled space features a grand staircase, exposed aggregate concrete walls, an inlaid mesquite wood "carpet," and a three-story window with sweeping views of the northern courtyard. Serving as a vital connection point, the landing is anchored by This Land, Shared Sky , a collaborative commissioned textile installation by Nick Cave and Marie Watt that merges Indigenous and Black traditions. The landing is named in honor of the revolutionary opening words of the U.S. Constitution and the enduring democratic ideal—echoed throughout American history and championed by President Obama—that our nation is built through collective effort and shared responsibility. This space is made possible through the generous support of The Boeing Company. 

  • Andrew Young Program Room: Located on the west side of the Democracy in Action Lab, within the Forum building, this tech-equipped room features a south-facing window overlooking the adjacent outdoor courtyard—offering natural light and a welcoming setting for community groups and emerging leaders to gather, collaborate, and engage in the thoughtful dialogue essential to democratic engagement. It honors the civil rights leader, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and former Mayor of Atlanta, who has dedicated his life to public service and global human rights. This space is made possible through the generous support of Michael and Nelly Bly Arougheti. 

These spaces join others The Foundation has already announced. They include:

The Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on June 19. 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.

About The Obama Foundation

The Obama Foundation is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. That mission begins on the South Side of Chicago, where The Foundation is building the Obama Presidential Center. But that approach extends to all our work, whether it’s holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity. From every corner of the globe, our program participants are working together to address some of the biggest challenges of our time—from renewing our democratic institutions, protecting LGBTQ+ rights, fighting climate change, and so much more.

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Contact: Emily Bittner, press@obama.org