Rufus Thomas, Jr.

Rufus Thomas, Jr. is a Tennessee historical marker in Shelby County.

Shelby Co, Memphis, city of former Palace Theatre, vacant land between 326 Beale & corner of Beale St., & Hernando

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(Obverse) Born March 26, 1917, in Cayce, Mississippi, this legendary entertainer known worldwide, began his career in the 1930s with the Rabbit Foot Minstrel Shows. He was the organizer and master of ceremonies of the amateur shows in the 1940s and 1950s at the Palace Theatre, which stood at this site. From these shows began the careers of many great performers, including B.B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland. (Reverse) He had the first hit records for both the Sun and Stax labels. As a popular personality on WDIA, he was the first disc jockey to play Elvis Presley records on a Black radio station. He was the creator of two of the biggest dance crazes of the 1960s--"The Dog" and "The Funky Chicken."

TodayHistorical map

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USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection

Historical maps covering this location

1901 · Memphis. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1909 · Arkansas. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1916 · Memphis, Tennessee (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)
1925 · Memphis, Tennessee (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)
1927 · Memphis, Tennessee (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

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Marker text and location from the Tennessee Historical Commission, as the Commission publishes them on its marker map.

More markers nearby

On the National Register nearby

Beale Street Historic District320 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.