May 06--The Barack Obama Foundation plans to officially announce Chicago as the site of the Obama presidential library and museum next Tuesday, sources told the Chicago Tribune.
The president's long-awaited decision will be made public more than a week after several news organizations reported that the University of Chicago had been selected to host the library. The university has proposed building it on the South Side, either in Washington Park or Jackson Park.
The May 12 announcement will confirm that the U. of C. will host the library, but it is not expected to specify which park will get the project.
The selection caps a yearlong competition that began with 13 bids that eventually were narrowed down to four finalists. The U. of C., where Obama taught constitutional law for a dozen years and first lady Michelle Obama formerly worked as a hospital administrator, had long been considered the front-runner. The South Side also is where Obama launched his political career as a state senator in 1996 and where the first lady was born.
dglanton@tribpub.com
