Crews begin installing letters to make up "You Are America" speech at Obama Presidential Center
A major milestone was reached Tuesday at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side.
Crews began installing the first 5-foot-tall concrete letters on the building. Once they are all in place, they will spell out a section of former President Barack Obama's "You Are America" speech.
Former President Obama recently noted that the 2015 speech is closest to his heart. That is why it was chosen to be installed on the exterior of the building.
The speech marked the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches for Civil Rights in Alabama. This excerpt from the speech will appear on the Obama Presidential Center exterior:
"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."
The giant letters will be mounted on the south- and west-facing corners of the building.
They will be best seen from the southwest corner at the intersection of 60th Street and Stony Island Avenue.