Louisville to honor soul food icon, Black history champion Shirley Mae Beard with street sign

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Officials will unveil a new street sign to honor an iconic Louisville soul food restaurateur and champion of Black history in the city.

The street sign will be for Shirley Mae Beard, who was the owner and face of Shirley Mae's Café on South Clay Street.

Beard died Jan. 11 at the age of 84. She was a cherished figure in Louisville’s soul food scene for decades. Her restaurant became a cornerstone of the Smoketown neighborhood and a gathering place for community and culture.

Beard had her hands full with running the restaurant and a juke joint but somehow had enough time to cook up "Salute to Black Jockeys, Inc." It's an annual event to celebrate the history of Black jockeys in the Kentucky Derby. She even drained her retirement funds to keep this celebration free for the whole community.

The street sign unveiling will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 10, at South Clay and Lampton streets, which is the corner in front of Shirley Mae's Café.

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