How Josephine Baker changed Vegas
May 8, 2007 | 9:46
am
The story of Josephine Baker being in reality (and largely uncredited) the
first person to desegregate a Las Vegas showroom has continued to obsess me.
Sadly, researching anything in Las Vegas that far back is very difficult. Vegas
blows the past up and prides itself in being all future without memory.
But I have made some progress. I reached by e-mail and phone Bennetta Jules-Rosette who wrote
"Josephine Baker Art and Life." Jules-Rosette tracked Josephine Baker's Las
Vegas appearance to 1951 which she dubbed as part of Baker's "desegregation
tour," because of the artist's insistence that a clause in her contract forbid
the practice. Baker would not likely have made an exception for Las Vegas,
according to Jules-Rosette. Wow. It is hard to imagine the courage this would
take for a lone black woman (or, anyone) in the Las Vegas of 1951.This would be
the same year that Ebony magazine dubbed Las Vegas "The Mississippi of the
West." Add to that the generally low status given to loss leading entertainers
like Josephine Baker in Vegas back when the town was all about gambling
profits, and, finally, the notorious reputations of owners (the real owners) of
casinos in 1951, and the attendant reality that people who irritated them could
wind up dead in the desert. "She probably would not have known much about Vegas
in the first place and in the second place she was fearless," says Jules-Rosette. In truth
in Las Vegas in 1951 no one would have raised too much fuss about a dead
black performer no matter how famous. This is not theoretical. For example,
there is the still unsolved death of sax player Wardell Gray that took place in
1955 when his body turned up in the desert after he missed what would have been the opening performance at Moulin Rouge, the first casino geared to black
customers, and therefore, to the consternation of the Strip, the first casino to
open as fully desegregated.
So, I am continuing my quest. Armed
with information narrowing things to 1951, I had The Los Angeles Times library
check its records and found nothing. The Las Vegas Review-Journal was also
unable to give me any information that far back. I am still waiting to hear from
the Las Vegas Sun. I am hopeful. According to all the history books, The Las
Vegas Sun and its editor Hank Greenspun (the late patriarch of the Greenspun
family that owns the parent company of Las Vegas Weekly where I am on staff)
were very involved in getting the Nevada Resort Association to officially
desegregate casinos in 1960.
Of course, that started a process
more than changed the facts on the ground instantly. Desegregating Vegas also
took almost daily intervention of power players like Frank Sinatra and Sammy
Davis, all doing their part in that particular civil rights fight. Here is one
story from 1961(a year after official desegregation) that happened at the Sands
recounted in A Short History of Las Vegas (second edition, 2004) by Barbara
Land and Myrick Land:
"(Sammy) Davis was sitting with
Frank Sinatra in the lobby one afternoon when a black couple walked in the front
door and two security guards walked over to block them. Davis and Sinatra walked
over to the guards and the unofficial president of the hotel told the guards
that the couple were his guests and ushered them in. Then Sinatra called Sands
executive Carl Cohen on the phone."
And, the incident didn't end there.
The history continues that Davis went to the head of the hotel: "(Davis)
suggested that now was the time to start hiring blacks at the Sands. The
entertainer went to the NAACP, which sent over a group of applicants; suddenly
the Sands was hiring black bellhops, busboys and waiters." Forget casino
executives. This is inch by inch progress. So, if Sinatra and Davis, with all
of their power, influence and connections in Las Vegas, were having to go to
these lengths in 1961, imagine how much courage it took Josephine Baker to
perform such an act in 1951: to demand that her Las Vegas show be desegregated.
Again, I ask, please, for any
witnesses or anyone with first hand knowledge of this incident to write me.
UPDATE: I was able to reach by e-mail Phyllis Rose author of "Jazz
Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in her Time." Rose confirms and adds some details to
the story of Baker's Las Vegas demand for a desegregated audience in 1951. Rose
writes:
"1951 is right. Early May is likely. An article in Variety on May 14, 1951
described the action at her opening and said, 'This was the first manifestation
of protest by a minority group that has achieved any semblance of success in Las
Vegas.' According to my book, what happened was this: her contract reserved a
table at every performance for the local NAACP, which filled it with blacks. On
the first night of her run, the management seated that group but refused to seat
others who were waiting to get in. Baker insisted on the intent of her contract
-- to ensure an integrated audience -- and forced the management to come
around. Her goal was to integrate or to make news about the failure. Sorry I
don't know what the venue was. So yes, I can confirm she did this way before
Sinatra. Amazing! I also note in my book (p. 212) that she was 'the first black
headliner [in Las Vegas] to succeed in getting her whole troupe housed at the
hotel where they were working. Before that, black performers without clout had
to commute across town for the night.'"
Still, left unclear is what casino this event took place. So, again, anyone
with information, please, reach out to me.
photo by AFP/Getty
Thank you Richard! This is a great story to pursue,and I certainly hope someone reaches out to you that has an answer. Keep up the good historical/detective work! Some of us out here do care about the "history" of Vegas,as well as its present.
Posted by: Dr. Nat turner | May 08, 2007 at 04:13 PM
Hi Richard - Interesting Story about Josephine Baker ... however, I'd be very suprised if it were true. In 1951, the only hotels which had showrooms were the EL RANCHO VEGAS, THE LAST FRONTIER, THE FLAMINGO, THE THUNDERBIRD and THE DESERT INN. (These are listed by order of opening) .. The Sahara would open later that year, and the Sands wouldn't open until the following year, 1952.
There were lots of Black entertainers in 1951 on the Strip (though it was called Hwy 91 then) .. Sammy Davis with the Will Mastin Trio (Father and Uncle) were certainly the leading edge, however, Ella and Pearl and Billy Eckstine and lots of other talents Black entertainers NEVER would have had the "juice" to get away with what you've suggested in 1951. Take a look at my website - URL above - I have a very well researched chapter in there on the Moulin Rouge, and it'd be my pleasure to send you a copy of the book at no charge.
The owners of the hotels, though most were probably liberal in their personal leanings, had their customer base to consider, and WHERE that customer base came from. (It's all in my book). Also, not a big deal, but Carl Cohen, wasn't at the Sands until 1954 - prior to that he was at the Las Vegas Club (downtown - craps dealer), then took Beldon Katleman up on his offer to become Casino Mgr and 5-point owner of the El Rancho Vegas. He didn't move over to the Sands until 1954.
Take me up on the offer - I think you'll pick up some interesting information about the 1940s and 1950s in Las Vegas. I believe that the books is in every single casino gift shop and book shop in Las Vegas - but, its self-published, and I have zero distribution in LA, yet! (I'm the only salesman nationally, which is the only downside I've found to self-publishing).
Good article - Steve Fischer
Posted by: Steve Fischer | May 10, 2007 at 08:17 PM
And just one more small point, which I forgot to comment on. WARDELL GRAY, though he was found in the desert - he had gone to a "heroin party" before he died - and the heroin party was at the house of another musician (actually, he was a tap dancer) who was also supposed to open that night at the Moulin Rouge. (By the way, Richard), the name of the opening show was the "Tropi-Can-Can" and Sinatra was in the audience. The Dunes had its grand opening the same night - and after the Dunes Show, Vera-Ellen opened, Sinatra and his date, I forgot her name for the moment, but one of the big New York newspaper gossip columnists (Hedda Hopper? Louella Parsons? don't remember) anyway - they left the Dunes and went over to the MR to watch the opening night there. Everyone was in the audience, Sammy, George Burns, Eckstine, Pearly Mae, .. etc. I've cut and pasted a newspaper article from 1955 -- it's from a Long Beach Calif newspaper talking about the incident .. hope it comes thru - it doesn't work .. just a minute, I'll give you the particulars ..LONG BEACH INDEPENDENT - MAY 8, 1955 - Pg. 11 (Middle of Page - Headline - Musicians Death Laid To Dope Fall).. anyway, give me your mailing address - not immodestly, but I think you'll love my book - Steve Fischer
Posted by: Steve Fischer | May 10, 2007 at 08:36 PM
May 17 + 2007
b + bbbbb + bee Bee B ee + A + thank + you for the up dates
revelation 19 + revelation 2 the 1 st corinthians 1 + 13 in the new testiment of the goo true "holy" bible xx
Posted by: michael Lee goodman the 1st xx | May 16, 2007 at 11:04 AM
I am the director of the Oral History Research Center at UNLV. I have been told the story of Josephine Baker in Las Vegas by a person who attended one of her shows and sat at the table reserved for her quests. As a matter of fact, there are two interviews that tell this story. The hotel casino was the El Rancho. The two narrators were both well known, prosperous citizens of the early black community, Lubertha Johnson and J. David Hoggard. Johnson's interview was transcribed and states: "They agreed that they would allow blacks in. When Miss Baker got to Las Vegas, she went around and found some NAACP people and told them to be sure to come down to the hotel, so we did. I didn't fo the first night but I went the second night." On the second night she sat on stage until her black guests were allowed into the showroom because the hotel casino claimed to have honored her contract since blacks were allowed in the first night.
Let me know if you would like additional information.
Claytee D. White
claytee.white@unlv.edu
Posted by: Claytee D. White | July 08, 2008 at 08:45 AM
Greetings --
I am the Manuscripts Librarian at UNLV Special Collections and I wanted to let you know that we have a publication called Fabulous Las Vegas Magazine (an entertainment publication about Las Vegas published from 1949-1973) in our collection. After some digging, I found an advertisement for Josephine Baker's engagement at the Hotel Last Frontier which ran from April 18 - May 2, 1952. No mention is made of the ensuing controversy, after all, this was a magazine to attract tourists, but the review of her show does note "Miss Baker is causing quite a stir in our vicinity." I have not found info on her from 1951 but we are missing some issues. I would be happy to scan the advertisement and review which has the date noted on the bottom so that you can examine it yourself.
Best regards,
Su Kim Chung
sukim.chung@unlv.edu
Posted by: Su Kim Chung | November 05, 2008 at 05:46 PM