The welcome sign for the Historic Westside of Las Vegas. (Christophe KLEBERT/Shutterstock)
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By Aleza Freeman
African Americans primarily began arriving in Las Vegas in the early 1900s, working to construct the railroad and later the Hoover Dam. But despite working on the dam, they were prohibited from living in Boulder City.
However, there weren’t any segregation laws recorded in Las Vegas before the legalization of gambling in 1931.
But then, under Las Vegas Mayor Ernie Craig, city officials stopped reissuing licenses to Black businesses downtown, forcing them to operate west of the train tracks. Black people, many of whom originally owned land downtown, were permitted to entertain and work in the casinos (mostly back of house), but were no longer allowed to live in or patronize the area.
According to the state tourism bureau Travel Nevada, Las Vegas became so segregated that it was known as the “Mississippi of the West.”
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Thousands of people protest President Trump’s policies in Carson City, Nevada, on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (KIA RASTAR/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
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By Martín Nieves Sánchez
Want to get politically engaged this week? You can attend ICE Out rallies and marches in downtown Las Vegas, join a pro-democracy watch party, participate in voter registration efforts, and take part in weekly housing and immigrant rights organizing.
🗓 Friday, Feb. 20
Handmaids of LV: ICE OUT NOW! Downtown Las Vegas
ICE’s Las Vegas office, 501 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 3-4:30 p.m.
🗓 Saturday, Feb. 21
Stand Up Saturday: Stand Up for Every Person Hurt by the Trump Regime
Boca Park, 8780 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
🗓 Sunday, Feb. 22
Handmaids of LV: ICE – Release Our Children Rally & March
Las Vegas Federal Building, 333 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 12-3 p.m.
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🟣 Eight confirmed dead in Lake Tahoe area avalanche, one missing. KUNR
“Fifteen skiers were caught in an avalanche north of Lake Tahoe on Tuesday. Six skiers were rescued Tuesday, eight were confirmed dead as of Wednesday, and one remains missing and presumed dead. Recovery efforts are expected to continue into the weekend due to severe weather conditions.”
🟣 Rescue group in Las Vegas tries to catch a toucan that escaped its owner before it’s too late. The Associated Press
“Bird experts and enthusiasts alike are surprised the toucan has survived so long in Las Vegas. Exotic birds that escape often have difficulty finding food and avoiding predators, and the changing weather in Las Vegas has also likely taken a toll on the toucan.”
🟣 How tracking golden eagles in Nevada revealed a desert ‘death vortex.’ ScienceNews
“Wildfire, drought, powerlines and lead pollution kill eagles. And over the last five years, many of the state’s birds have starved to death because a virus wiped out rabbits — their preferred prey.”
🟣 Nevada debuts public option amid Tumultuous federal health care changes. KFF Health News
“But researchers said plans like these are unlikely to fill the gaps left by sweeping federal changes, including the expiration of enhanced subsidies for plans bought on Affordable Care Act marketplaces.”
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