Black Resource Guide

Mission: Student Diversity & Social Justice advocates with a diverse student population to amplify and affirm student’s identities through an intersectional framework to promote student success. We are a student-centered office committed to educating, empowering, and developing UNLV students as leaders to recognize and address societal injustices. Vision: Student Diversity & Social Justice (SDSJ) will provide transformative experiences to create a campus free of oppression and trauma through intentional engagement. Values: Student Centered | Advocacy | Intersectionality Empowerment | Trauma Informed | Community Office Location SU 309 and the Center for Social Justice Instagram: @UNLVSDSJ Facebook: www.facebook.com/unlvsdsj Youtube: Student Diversity and Social Justice This booklet was created with the efforts of: Kevin Wright, Amanda Lockridge, Brianna Varner, Deshawn Johnson, and Alexandria Hollingsworth 3 We acknowledge that we are on the ancestral lands of the LandLand Nuwuvi, Southern Paiute People. We acknowledge the Indigenous People of the lands where UNLV now stands – and recognize AcknowledgementAcknowledgement that these have always been places of teaching and learning. We wish to pay respect to their Elders – past, present and emerging – and acknowledge the important role Nuwuvi, Southern Paiute People, continue to play within the UNLV community. This acknowledgement and the centering of Native peoples is a start as we move forward for many years to come 4 5 1931 Gambling was legalized in Las Vegas; Construction of the Boulder/Hoover A Brief Dam begins; Colored Citizen Protective Association is organized; US. District History Courthouse opens 1932 Only 44 Black men were hired out of the In order to know where you’re going, you need to know your 20,000 laborers who built the Boulder/ history. Below is a brief timeline that talks about Black history Hoover Dam specific to the Las Vegas community. Please note this is not an exhaustive timeline, as unfortunately, there are some historical 1941 The Great Migration of Blacks from the south events that have happened in Las Vegas that were not properly begins, primarily from Fordyce, AR and documented. As you navigate through life, always make sure you Tallulah, LA are doing whatever you can to protect our history. Our history is important, and it is crucial to preserve it, and prevent people 1943 Carver Park constructed to house Blacks from trying to erase it. working at the Basic Magnesium plan in Henderson 1872 John Howell purchases land to become the 1948 Verlene Stevens writes Black Society Column first Black land owner in Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Review Journal 1904 The historic westside neighborhood is established (now present day Downtown 1952 Marble Manor housing project built (located on Las Vegas) H. Street. and West Washington Avenue) 1905 City of Las Vegas is established 1954 Dr. Charles West becomes the first Black 1910 Census started to document Black-owned doctor in Las Vegas; historic Berkley Square businesses neighborhood built (sits between H. Street and D. Street going north to south, and 1917 First Black church, Zion Methodist Church is between W. Owens Avenue and Frederick established Avenue going east to west) 1925 The Ku Klux Klan led a march on Fremont Street 1955 Dr. James McMillan becomes the first Black dentist in Las Vegas; Moulin Rouge Hotel 1926 The Las Vegas Chapter of the National opens Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is formed 1959 Charles Kellar becomes the first Black attorney in Las Vegas 6 7 1960 Integration on Las Vegas Strip begins 1998 Professor Rainier Spencer establishes the first Afro-American Studies program 1964 Economic Opportunity Board is established; minor within the Nevada System of Higher Las Vegas starts granting licenses to Black Education to be taught at UNLV Attorneys 1965 Economic Opportunity Board opens its first 2008 The Bachelors of Arts degree in Afro- office; Dr. Bert Babero Sr. becomes first American Studies is approved to be Black professor at UNLV (formerly known as established at UNLV (Now known as African Nevada Southern University) American and African Diasporic Studies) 1969 October race riot happens in Las Vegas 2013 Palm Downtown Mortuary opens Civil Rights 1971 Consent Decree issued to address issues Movement Memorial; Les Femmes Douze of discrimination from the Las Vegas (The Ladies Twelve), a Black womxn’s gaming industry toward Black employees; empowerment organization for high school Dr. Esther Langston becomes first Black girls, celebrates 50th Anniversary womxn to serve as a Professor at UNLV 1972 Ruby Duncan, the Co-Founder of Operation Life, and the President of the Clark County Welfare Rights Organization, led a march on the Las Vegas Strip to advocate for welfare rights of Black people 1973 Professor Roosevelt Fitzgerald becomes first Black professor at UNLV in the department of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies 1976 Dr. Esther Langston becomes the first Black professor to earn tenure as a professor at UNLV 1992 Rodney King riot in California spills into Las Vegas Source: Oral History Research Center, UNLV Libraries 8 9 Berkley Square Las Vegas, NV It was built between 1954 and 1955 and was the first African American built subdivision in Nevada. Berkley Square, bounded by Byrnes Ave, D Street, Leonard Ave and G Street, was built to provide adequate housing for a growing African American community prior to the Civil Rights movement. https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/afam/2011/Berkley_Square.htm Moulin Rouge Las Vegas, NV BlackBlack The Moulin Rouge was the first racially integrated casino in the United States, located in Las Vegas’ historic Westside. People called it the “six month sensation” as it was only open for a short HistoricalHistorical time, but had an empowering effect on the civil rights movement years after bankruptcy forced its doors to close. https://www.8newsnow.com/news/hidden-history-moulin- MonumentsMonuments rouges-history-short-but-very-significant/ Martin Luther King Jr. statue North Las Vegas, NV On January 20, 2001 the County unveiled a 5-ton bronze statue of Martin Luther King Jr. In the statue, King’s hands hold the U.S. Constitution, the Bible and the world. The artist, Allen, was quoted expressing her vision of the statue, “He holds the world out to you as if to say, and I’ve given my all. Now it’s up to you. Treat the world gently. Remember what you do affect us all.” https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/parks/Pages/mlk-statue-tina- allen.aspx 10 11 The history of the Green Book The Negro Motorist Green Book (also The Negro Travelers’ Green Book, or simply the Green Book) was an annual guidebook for Caribbean, and Bermuda. The Green African-American travelers. It was originated and published by Book was known as “the Bible of Black New York City mailman, Victor Hugo Green from 1936 to 1966, travel during Jim Crow,” enabling Black during the era of Jim Crow laws, when open and often legally travelers to find lodgings, businesses, prescribed discrimination against African Americans and and gas stations that would serve them other non-whites was widespread. Although pervasive racial along the road. Shortly after the passage discrimination and poverty limited black car ownership, the of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which emerging African-American middle class bought automobiles outlawed forms of racial discrimination, as soon as they could, but faced a variety of dangers and the Green Book ceased publication. inconveniences along the road, from refusal of food and lodging While racial discrimination is outlawed, to arbitrary arrest. In response, Green wrote his guide to services racism is still a relevant and timely and places relatively friendly to African-Americans, eventually concept in the present day. The purpose expanding its coverage from the New York area to much of North of this resource guide, or Green Book, is America, as well as founding a travel agency. for individuals within the Afro- descendant diaspora at UNLV to know Victor African-American travelers faced hardships such as white- Hugo Green what resources are available to them. owned businesses refusing to serve them or repair their vehicles, (1892-1960) being refused accommodation or food by white-owned hotels, Know your history. and threats of physical violence and forcible expulsion from whites-only “sundown towns”. Green founded and published the Carry this guide. Green Book to avoid such problems, compiling resources to give Value your life. the Negro traveler information that will keep them from running Protect our culture. into difficulties, embarrassments, and to make their trips more enjoyable. From a New York-focused first edition published in 1936, Green expanded the work to cover much of North America, including most of the United States and parts of Canada, Mexico, the 12 13 Faculty & Staff 19 Registered Student 37 Organizations (RSOs) Government Relations 40 Disclaimer: Community Centers 44 The contents of this resource are not an exhaustive list of every single resource available to individuals within the Hair Salons & Barbershops 47 Afrodescendant diaspora at UNLV. If you notice any kind of resource missing, please submit your Health & Medical 51 resource to this link: https://tinyurl.com/BlackUNLV. We will be accepting Restaurants & Markets 58 submissions throughout the academic year, as we prepare for future publications. Scholarships 64 Miscellaneous Professionals 85 14 15 Africans to British North America in 1619 possible. African American and A secondary objective is for students to be able to concentrate their studies on particular areas of interest within an overall African Diaspora Studies African American and African Diaspora Studies framework. With affiliated faculty in other UNLV departments, the African Program (AAS) American and African Diaspora Studies Program is especially The African American and African Diaspora Studies suited to meet this objective. Related to both of the above Program is offered under the auspices of the Department of objectives is the tertiary objective for graduates of the program Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies.

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