Bronzeville in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
"Butterbean and Susie"
1895-1967
⎯⎯⎯
1896-1963
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 14, 2026
1. "Butterbean and Susie" Marker
Vaudeville comedy team
Erected 1996 by City of Chicago.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Entertainment • Women. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1896.
Location. 41° 50.744′ N, 87° 37.031′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Bronzeville. It is at the intersection of South Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Drive and East 26th Street, on the right when traveling north on South Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2555 South Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago IL 60616, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in 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
this page online
More about this marker. Roughly 100 Bronzeville Walk of Fame markers are found around the neighborhood along Martin Luther King Drive between 25th and 35th Streets.
Regarding "Butterbean and Susie". The male half of the husband-wife vaudeville duo of Jodie and Susie Edwards is typically called the plural "Butterbeans."
Also see . . . Butterbeans and Susie: Racy Comedy Trendsetters by David Soren.
Excerpt: "The act of Butterbeans and Susie consisted of singing and dancing, often featuring a cakewalk and a duet or two, but it was centered around Butterbeans portraying a long-suffering husband half-trapped in a marriage with a big, domineering woman. The comedy was emphasized by having him wear super-tight, non-fitting pants and an overly small bowler hat. Usually, he would perform in blackface as it was a tradition with white peformers to put on blackface to portray African-Americans and so black performers started doing it as well, especially black comedians such as Bert Williams or Pigmeat Markham."(Submitted on August 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on August 15, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
