Common and John Legend delivered a powerful performance of their Oscar-winning song “Glory” at the Obama Presidential Center Opening Ceremony in Chicago.
On Thursday (June 18), former 44th President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama celebrated the opening of the Obama Presidential Center with a star-studded event in Chicago. The opening festivities featured performances from various music stars, including Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and others.
Common and John Legend, uplifted the crowd with their glorious performances. First, Legend sat behind the piano and delivered a soulful rendition of “Someday We’ll All Be Free” from the late Chicago singer-songwriter Donny Hathaway. The piano man then brought out South Side Chicago’s own Common and local choir, the United Voice of Chicago, to sing their 2015 Academy Award-winning tune “Glory” from the 2014 film Selma.
“The Obama Center is for the glory,” rapped Common.
As they closed out their performance, Common and John Legend stood together in the middle of the stage and raised their fists in solidarity.
The festivities ended with an all-star cast of Common, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen and The Roots, as they joined Stevie Wonder in a soaring performance of “Higher Ground.” In the middle of the set, Common took center stage to deliver a spirited freestyle, which consisted of him name-dropping former Presidents Joe Biden and George W. Bush, who was in the audience, as well as honoring the legacies of former Chicago mayor Harold Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the evening’s guest of honor, Barack Obama.
The Obama Presidential Center officially opens on June 19. The 19-acre campus is located in the Jackson Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Currently, admission tickets are sold out and more won’t be available until October. For those looking to secure tickets, visit Obama.org to sign up for notifications regarding future ticket availability and upcoming events.
Mustafa Hussain/Getty ImagesMusicians John Legend and Common perform during the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in the Jackson Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, US, on Thursday, June 18, 2026. Intended as a celebration of the progress embodied by the nation’s first Black leader, its Juneteenth unveiling comes at a time when his agenda – and broader diversity initiatives – are wilting from a decade of concerted attack.
