Downtown Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Danny Thomas

1912 - 1991

Photographed by Curtis Wise, August 4, 2020

1. Danny Thomas 1912 - 1991 Marker

Inscription. Thanks to entertainer Danny Thomas, who founded St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, this road bears the name Beale Street. Created as an avenue in 1841, locals began calling it Beale Street after the African-American blues legend W.C. Handy, who wrote Beale Street Blues in 1917. By 1955, Memphis changed the names of east-west streets to avenues. Unhappy with the decision, Thomas recorded a song, Bring Back Our Beale Street, as an appeal to Mayor Frank Tobey to keep the streets name. "Memphis don't own Beale Street," read one lyric. "It belongs to the world." 2000 copies of the record were distributed to jukeboxes and proceeds from the song benefited St. Jude, where families never receive a bill for services. Because of Thomas' efforts, Mayor Tobey changed the name back to Beale Street. In 1960, when Thomas was in town to lay the cornerstone for St. Jude, he visited Beale Street for the Handy statue dedication and played a few notes from his song on Handy's trumpet. In 1962, St. Jude opened a mile from Beale street, on a road later renamed Danny Thomas Boulevard, in honor of its founder.

Erected by Tennessee

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Historical Commission. (Marker Number 4E 183.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Entertainment • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1841.

Location. 35° 8.374′ N, 90° 3.091′ W. Marker is in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It is in Downtown Memphis. It is on Beale Street east of U.S. 79, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200c Beale St, Memphis TN 38103, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in West Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in the Upper South,

in the Mississippi Delta,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At

Photographed by Curtis Wise, August 4, 2020

2. Danny Thomas 1912 - 1991 Marker

least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: In Memory of W.C. Handy (within shouting distance of this marker); Ida B. Wells (within shouting distance of this marker); Beale Street Historic District (within shouting distance of this marker); Pee Wee Saloon (within shouting distance of this marker); Hooks Brothers Photography (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Rufus Thomas, Jr. (about 300 feet away); Nat D. Williams (about 300 feet away); George Jackson (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Memphis.

Photographed by Curtis Wise

3. Danny Thomas 1912 - 1991 Marker

Photographed by Curtis Wise

4. Danny Thomas 1912 - 1991 Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on August 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 5, 2020, by Curtis Wise of Jackson, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,800 times since then and 113 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 5, 2020, by Curtis Wise of Jackson, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.