Las Vegas Sun

November 15, 2009

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Editorial: A breakthrough day

Friday, March 25, 2005 | 3:28 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

March 26 - 27, 2005

Friday was the 45th anniversary of one of the most important events in Las Vegas' history. Members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People met with leaders of the white community to address the widespread racism of the day. In an accord brokered by the publisher of this newspaper, the late Hank Greenspun, managers of the larger Strip hotels promised to accept blacks as guests at their properties.

That meeting, held March 25, 1960, at the Moulin Rouge hotel, was a major civil rights victory. In exchange for the breakthrough promise, leaders of the black community, including Lubertha Warden, Bob Bailey, the Rev. Donald Clark, David Hoggard, Dr. Charles West and Dr. James McMillan, agreed to call off their plans for a peaceful march on the Strip. Although integration at all of Las Vegas' hotels was still years away, that meeting put the city on course to breaking its color barrier.

Las Vegas is 100 this year and is remembering many of its historic events. None is more important than this one.

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