Obama Presidential Library Exists.

Browsing blue sky I found a reminder that the opening ceremony for the Obama Presidential Library was on. Googled a bit and found a link to the live stream. Tuned in and started enjoying the show. Nice variety of A List celebrities saying nice things and doing good songs. Didn't think about putting anything here until Obama himself started talking.

He recounted the outline of his relationship with the south side of Chicago, starting when he was 23, showing up with everything he had in his car. He met his wife here, his children took their first steps here, and it springboarded him into good position for moving up inside the political system. It was because of that and so much more he had to put his Presidential Library on the south side of Chicago. Obama spent some time on that saying Martin Luther King used a lot, "The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice." Turns out it's from a 19th Century sermon by a preacher up in New England. He quoted from the original speech. Then he explained that this place was more than a library. He wants it to be a community center and focus for good lives to flourish in the neighborhood.

Bruce Springstein was the next focus of attention. He sang about the land of hopes and dreams. It was a new song to me, but the Obamas knew it well enough to sing along. I could see their lips moving in synch in some of the footage.

Stevie Wonder was the last act of the event. He started by saying something along the lines "This is a closing the circle moment for me." He'd supported the Obamas with music many times over the many years since he met them. He was grateful for and happy about all of it.

The only other time I'd seen him live was back in '76, before so many things happened to make now the reality it is. That was a Bicentennial free concert on the National Mall in Washington DC. I was so young I didn't realize how remarkable it was to have such an artist doing a good show for free.