Obama Foundation Announces Spaces Named for Iconic Leaders in Arts and Culture Whose Stories Uplift our Communities

June 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM CDT

CHICAGO — The Obama Foundation today announced a selection of spaces in the Obama Presidential Center named for artists, authors, and creatives whose work and voices have inspired people to see the world differently and understand our power to shape the future through literature, performance, and visual arts. These spaces are made possible through the generosity of individuals and institutions committed to encouraging discovery and human connection through arts and culture.

“President and Mrs. Obama have prioritized art since their earliest days because they believe that it helps ignite our imaginations, understand others’ perspectives, and quite simply, enjoy beauty,”  said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “The artists, writers, performers, and producers for whom these beautiful spaces are named are true leaders in nourishing the human spirit and inspiring hope and change.”

The spaces announced today include:

  • A More Inclusive America Exhibit in the Obama Presidential Center Museum, in honor of Alvin Ailey: This core Museum exhibit explores the Obama administration’s dedication to equity, accessibility, and inclusion. It honors the groundbreaking choreographer and founder of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater who believed that dance belongs to everyone. Alvin Ailey’s vision uplifts and unites, celebrating the human spirit and African American heritage, as manifested in his enduring masterpiece Revelations–the ultimate anthem to resilience and joy, using his artistic vision as a force for human connection and to make arts education more accessible to communities across the US. This space is made possible through the generous support of Prudential Financial. 

  • Maya Angelou West Dining Terrace: Occupying the space at the west overhang of the Forum building, this sheltered outdoor seating area offers overflow dining and a quiet, welcoming gathering space that connects seamlessly to the lively atrium via sliding glass doors. It honors the celebrated poet, memoirist, and civil rights advocate whose landmark works, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , gave voice to the pain and courage of the most vulnerable among us, serving as a powerful public reminder that our shared stories can build understanding and inspire a more generous future. This space is made possible through the generous support of Paz de Corazon Foundation, Tejemos Foundation, and H. J. Dobson and M. Hosoe.

  • Obama Foundation Offices, in honor of James Baldwin: Located on the Garden Level of the Forum building, this open, modern suite provides workspace for approximately 100 Obama Foundation staff members, featuring modular desks, collaborative conference rooms, and views of four internal courtyards that bring in natural daylight. It honors the groundbreaking writer and public intellectual whose novels, essays, and speeches challenged American views on race, identity, and sexuality, and who used his moral clarity to profoundly shape public discourse on the Civil Rights Movement. This space is made possible through the generous support of Paul, Dedrea, and Ian Gray.

  • Gwendolyn Brooks Auditorium Platform: Overlooking the Hadiya Pendleton Atrium, this elevated, versatile space features a digital screen and framed views of the Museum entrance, serving as a hub for performances and community activations. It honors the groundbreaking poet who gave voice to the lives of Chicago’s South Side residents and became the first Black person to ever win a Pulitzer Prize. This space is made possible through the generous support of The Mellon Foundation.

  • Cafe, in honor of Mahalia Jackson: Centrally located in the Lower Level between the Museum and Forum buildings, this inviting space offers sustainable, grab-and-go meals inspired by the Obamas' healthy eating initiatives. The cafe features white oak furnishings, Weary Blues —a textile installation by Chicago artist Lindsay Adams, inspired by the Langston Hughes poem of the same name—and Kalúa blue tile matching the Obamas' White House china inspired by Hawaiian waters. It honors the legendary gospel vocalist whose music served as the soundtrack for the Civil Rights era, performing alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and who used her voice to uplift audiences, living her belief that art and faith have the power to heal cultural divides and drive social change. This space is made possible through the generous support of the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation.

  • Joan and George Johnson Program Room: This flexible, tech-equipped space on the upper level of Home Court features cushioned athletic flooring, access to a west-facing terrace overlooking Stony Island Avenue, and movable partitions that allow it to seamlessly connect with adjacent rooms for wellness classes and community programs. It honors the trailblazing business leaders and philanthropists who reshaped Black identity and entrepreneurship in America by founding Johnson Products Company, launching Afro Sheen, sponsoring Soul Train, and becoming the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange.

  • John H. Johnson Plaza Overlook: Located on the Museum Mezzanine Level, this intimate space features a glass-railed catwalk offering striking interior views of the Our Story Atrium and Mark Bradford’s three-story artwork, City of the Big Shoulders . A large, bronze-trimmed window provides sweeping exterior views of the John Lewis Plaza and Martin Puryear's monumental sculpture, Bending the Arc . The overlook honors the visionary publisher and entrepreneur who transformed the American media landscape by founding Ebony and Jet magazines, documenting Black culture and civil rights milestones to build a profound legacy of representation. This space is made possible through the generous support of The M5 Rodriguez Legacy Foundation by Melvin and Monique Rodriguez.

  • Our Story Atrium: Located on the Museum's Lower Level, this soaring, three-story gathering place serves as the Center’s largest free and public “third space,” inviting visitors to sit down, connect, and share their lived experiences. Flooded with natural light from the adjacent south-facing courtyard, it embodies President Obama’s belief that a strong democracy needs spaces where people with different backgrounds can gather. It features City of the Big Shoulders , a monumental three-story painting by artist Mark Bradford that maps Chicago through his signature layered abstraction, drawing on histories of ownership, power, and place to create an inspiring visual connector across multiple floors. This space is made possible through the generous support of Oprah Winfrey.

  • Steven Spielberg Studio: Located on the Forum building’s Lower Level, this comprehensive media suite designed to empower professionals and students alike to bring their stories to life features a 150-square-foot recording studio, a high-tech production control room, and a green room. It honors the legendary filmmaker and cultural storyteller whose cinematic explorations of war, genocide, and slavery, alongside his dedication to preserving Holocaust testimony, underscore a profound belief in storytelling as our most powerful tool for illuminating the past and guiding the future. This space is made possible through the generous support of Universal, whose longstanding partnership with Steven Spielberg has helped bring countless stories to audiences around the world.

  • Oprah Winfrey Courtyard: Anchoring the Museum's Lower Level, this courtyard offers an expansive, south-facing sanctuary framed by soaring three-story windows, providing visitors with a serene, verdant landscape to relax and connect. It honors the media pioneer, philanthropist, and cultural icon whose historic television platform and charitable initiatives have inspired millions worldwide to recognize their own potential. This space is made possible through the generous support of Daniel E. Levin.

These spaces join others 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