UPDATED Tuesday, November 3, 2009 -- 4:00 p.m.
By NBC15's Dana Brueck

Wednesday's Presidential visit is by invitation only. One of those in attendance - the widow of the Rev. James Wright.

The middle school bears his name.

"I feel like I know him... known him very well... just by looking at the television."

Jacqueline Wright will get to know the President a bit better than most.

"I'm not always trying to fix myself up... Now I gotta look the part, hahaha."

She has a prime seat for his visit to Madison.

"Because I'm gonna sit near the front, they had to get my - I was surprised - they had to get my SS number and they asked me where I was born."

Mother Wright, as she's better known, is the widow of the Rev. James Wright, for whom this South Side middle school is named.
The couple moved to Madison in 1958.

"These are pictures when my husband and I were younger."

A book, Jacqueline says was created by Wright students, chronicles her husband's legacy. Rev. Wright is considered a civil rights pioneer in Madison, having served as executive director of the city's Equal Opportunities Commission for 24 years.

She says he would've been happy but cool and calm about a presidential visit.

"He would be delighted and very happy but he didn't take things in such a way that ... be overwhelmed... He was more humbled in that way."

Inside, the school's undergoing somewhat of a transformation in anticipation of the presidential visit. Jacqueline says she hopes the visit helps the children here understand the importance of getting an education - something her husband believed strongly.

"The children need to know it's necessary for them to learn and to make an achievement after they're adults."

Rev. Wright passed away in 1995... after having pushed for a neighborhood school in the city's South Side.

Two years later, Wright Middle School opened. The couple son's oversaw its construction as project manager. He will join his mother, and his sister, who's flying from Philadelphia to witness history.

"From years to come, we will be talking about this... newspapers and magazines Will be putting Madison again on the map... hahaha."

Posted Tuesday, November 3, 2009 -- 1:30 p.m.

The middle school President Obama will visit Wednesday is named for a man considered a civil rights pioneer in Madison. The widow of the Rev. James Wright says her husband would've been humbled by a visit from the President.

Jacqueline Wright will attend the invitation-only event, along with her two children. Her daughter is flying in from Philadelphia. Her son, who served as the project manager when the school was built, is coming from Milwaukee with his daughter.

Jacqueline says she hopes the visit helps students understand the importance of getting an education-something her husband believed strongly.

Jacqueline, who's perhaps better known as Mother Wright, says she never expected to see an African-American president in her lifetime, much less a visit from him.