Obama Presidential Center to Feature monumental Quote from Selma Speech
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A striking architectural and textual installation is underway at the Obama presidential Center, promising to deeply resonate with visitors. Construction crews have begun mounting massive, 5-foot-tall letters quoting former President Barack Obama’s powerful “You Are America” speech, delivered in 2015 during the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights marches.
A Lasting Tribute to Civil Rights History
The concrete letters, sourced from Obama’s address on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, alabama, are being affixed to the south and west corners of the center’s 225-foot-tall museum tower. The installation serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for civil rights and the enduring power of collective action.
On Tuesday, workers utilized an aerial platform to install the first two of 39 panels, each weighing between 5.5 and 10 tons and measuring a foot in thickness.The sheer scale of the project underscores the significance of the message it conveys.
The Words That Will Define a Space
When completed, the installation will display the full text of Obama’s speech excerpt: “You are America. Unconstrained by habit and convention. Unencumbered by what is, ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere in this country, there are first steps to be taken, there is new ground to cover, there are more bridges to be crossed. America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘we.’ ‘We The People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes we Can.’ That word is owned by no one. it belongs to everyone. oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.”
Obama Foundation officials anticipate several weeks will be required to complete the installation, marking the final major exterior detail of the tower. The placement is notably impactful, as the words will be visible – in reverse – from within the tower’s Nelson Mandela Skyroom.
An Immersive Experience
“When you’re in the top skyroom space, the idea is that you’ll be looking thru the screen of Obama’s words,” explained Billie Tsien, one of the center’s lead architects from Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. “It’s kind of like you’re inside his head.” This design choice aims to create an immersive experience, allowing visitors to contemplate the speech’s message from a uniquely intimate perspective.
The installation is not merely an aesthetic addition but a intentional attempt to embed the ideals of unity and progress within the very fabric of the Obama Presidential Center, ensuring that the spirit of Selma and the legacy of the 44th president continue to inspire generations to come.
Here’s a news report answering the “Why, Who, What, and how” questions:
Chicago, IL – The Obama Presidential Center is adding a monumental art installation featuring a quote from former President Barack Obama’s 2015 Selma speech. What is being installed are 5-foot-tall concrete letters spelling out a key excerpt from obama’s “You Are america” address, delivered on the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches. Who is behind the project? The Obama Foundation, in collaboration with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, is overseeing the installation. Workers began mounting the 39 panels, weighing between 5.5 and 10 tons each, on Tuesday.Why is this happening? Foundation officials say the installation is intended as a lasting tribute to the Civil Rights Movement and a way to embed the ideals of unity and progress into the center’s design. How will it be displayed? The letters are being affixed to the south and west corners of the center
