The Moulin Rouge and Black Rights in Las Vegas

Download or read book The Moulin Rouge and Black Rights in Las Vegas written by Earnest N. Bracey and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2009-01-22 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally opened in May 1955, the Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino quickly rose in popularity as Las Vegas’ first racially-integrated hotel and casino. Sammy Davis, Jr., Louis Armstrong, and other A-list black singers and musicians performed at the Moulin Rouge on a regular basis, and for once they were allowed to spend the night in the same hotel where they performed. This book explains the important role that the hotel-casino played in early desegregation efforts in Las Vegas. With the Moulin Rouge as the backdrop, it provides an analysis of the evolution of race-relations in Las Vegas, including a detailed account of the landmark 1960 desegregation agreement. Finally, it examines recent efforts to rebuild and renovate the historic establishment.