Honoring Icons

The Obama Presidential Center’s spaces honor activists, leaders, and icons whose efforts and legacy have changed the world and on whose shoulders we all stand. We hope that visitors coming to the campus see their stories and are inspired to act in their own communities. We are grateful to the supporters whose contributions to the Foundation have made these spaces possible and who are committed to inspiring, empowering, and connecting visitors through engagement with these iconic honorees.

“ We're in the presence today of giants whose shoulders we stand on.”
–President Barack Obama

A Trailblazing Approach to Honoree Naming

The Presidential Center will feature spaces located across the campus named in honor of luminaries in the areas of civil rights, the arts, athletics, food, business, public service, and education. These named spaces are made possible through the generosity of individuals and organizations that support the Center’s mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. Through this initiative, visitors to the Center will learn the stories of those who influenced the journeys of President and Mrs. Obama and the icons on whose shoulders we continue to stand.

Meet the Honorees