The Unwritten History of the Strip’s Desegregation

70 years ago, iconic Black musicians like Sammy Davis Jr. and Harry Belafonte might have graced the stage at Vegas casinos — but wouldn’t be allowed to stay on-site, or walk through the front door (though many pushed back). Despite Las Vegas’s reputation for some freedom from societal norms, segregation was one line in the sand casino operators wouldn’t cross. Why was that? Today on City Cast Las Vegas, co-host Vogue Robinson chats with historian Claytee White, director of UNLV’s Oral History Research Center. She points us back to March 26, 1960, the day the Strip finally agreed to desegregate — and why that agreement was never written down on paper.

Did you learn something new from this episode? Have a question for Claytee White? Leave us a voicemail or send us a text at 702-514-0719. You can also find us @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram.

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