Theresa Fambro Hooks

Theresa Fambro Hooks was an award winning columnist and photographer for The Chicago Defender. Born May 5, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois, Hooks graduated from Parker (now Robeson) High School in 1953 and went on to attend the University of Illinois, Roosevelt University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in their Fashion Design Department.

Joining The Chicago Daily Defender in 1961, Hooks served as woman’s editor and society columnist and published articles in the daily pages about social and community events, food and fashions. She also wrote an advice column as “Arletta Claire” and a column called “Social Whirl,” later renamed “TeeSee’s Town.” In “TeeSee’s Town,” Hooks covered the “good news” in the community including art, theatre, culture and the movement of Chicago’s business, corporate, community and social leaders. Her other professional positions included manager of community/public affairs for Philco-Ford’s Chicago Residential Manpower Center and special assistant to the president of Olive Harvey College for public information. As president of Theresa Fambro Hooks and Associates, she provided public relations, communications and marketing services for ETA Creative Arts Foundation, National Newspaper Publishers Association, the Abraham Lincoln Center, The Woodlawn Organization, among others.

Hooks was active with the Girl Scouts, various YWCAs, the Westside Association of Community Action (WACA), Midwest Sickle Cell Association, West Chesterfield Garden Club, and Adoption Information Services. She was national president of the National Association of Media Women and received the Phenomenal Woman Award at V-103’s Expo for Today’s Black Woman, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Public Relations Society, the Russ Ewing Legacy Award of Excellence, Outstanding Journalist from the Chicago Association of Black Journalists, and The Fashion Connection Award. Hooks was a member of Christ United Methodist Church.

Hooks was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on December 16, 2009.

Hooks passed away on January 31, 2016.