Douglas (Bronzeville) in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Theresa Needham

1912-1992

— Bronzeville Walk of Fame —

Theresa Needham Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 2026

1. Theresa Needham Marker

Inscription. Established Theresa’s Blues Club, 1955

Erected 1996.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Women. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1955.

Location. 41° 50.24′ N, 87° 37.058′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Douglas (Bronzeville). It is on South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive north of East 32nd Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chicago IL 60616, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton (within shouting distance

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of this marker); Dr. J.B. Martin (within shouting distance of this marker); Ferdinand Lee Barnett (within shouting distance of this marker); John Lee Williamson (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ida B. Wells-Barnett (about 300 feet away); John “Jack” Johnson (about 400 feet away); Margaret Goss Burroughs (about 400 feet away); Dr. Mae Jemison (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

Also see . . .
1. Theresa's Lounge in Memoriam. A history of Theresa Needham's bar on Chicago's south side.

Excerpt: "From the end of World War II and into the 1950s, rural blacks from the Delta Region of Northwestern Mississippi descended upon Chi-town in search of work in the city’s burgeoning, blue-collar industries. Life wasn’t much easier in Chicago than it was in the sharecropping fields of Mississippi, which led many young musicians to adapt Delta Blues into an urban form of music that reflected their angst. As a result, a series of bars opened up on the South Side, showcasing this new music most every night of the week. One such establishment was Theresa’s Lounge, which just happened to
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 2026

2. Theresa Needham Marker, south-facing view
be one of the best of ’em thanks to the efforts of taverness extraordinaire, Theresa Needham. Her style and regular bookings of blues legends Junior Wells and a young Buddy Guy himself made Theresa’s one of the best places to see the blues since the day it opened. While the space lies abandoned in a non-descript building on the South Side today, the legacy remains."

(Submitted on May 18, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. Chicago Tribune: Theresa Needham obituary. (Submitted on May 18, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 23 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.