John L Smith - The Westside Slugger: Joe Neal’s Lifelong Fight for Social Justice

Carson City and several early Nevada mining towns embraced boxing as early as 1897. However, it was Las Vegas, which only became a city in the twentieth century, that emerged as the center of the states boxing culture. Joe Neal, though not a boxer, lived a life that personified the sport at its highest level. Nevadas first African-American state senator is quick, accurate in landing punches, powerful, good on defense and offense, well-conditioned, intelligent, disciplined, and has guts. He is truly the Slugger of the Westside.

From humble beginnings in Mound, Louisiana, Joe Neal migrated to Las Vegas in 1954, the same year that marked the construction of the Moulin Rouge hotel and casino and the arrival of the first black doctor. It was also the same year that the first middle class housing development, Berkley Square, opened for residents. This new neighborhood was financed by African-American attorney Thomas Berkley and featured homes designed by black architect Paul Revere Williams. The burgeoning middle class, composed of people such as Dr. Charles I. West and Joe Neal, joined the movers and shakers of the black World War II migration as the community made ongoing progressive changes. Joe Neals skill sets were needed, and he fit perfectly into the developing young city.

Even before his first run for office, Joe engaged in the political welfare of the Westside community. He worked on the board of the Economic Opportunity Board of Clark County, enforced the 1964 Civil Rights Act as part of his job at Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo), worked with Donald Clark as Clark served as president of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and helped to pass the 1971 consent decree that stipulated 12 percent of jobs in the resort industry go to black workers. In 1972 Joe ran for the Nevada State Senate. He won.

Indeed, the Slugger had found his place for good rumbles with the best in politicsWilliam Raggio, Joe Conforte, Mel Close, Mike OCallaghan, and the list goes on and on. Issues over the years included Howard Hughess discriminatory policies, fair housing, womens rights, reapportionment, increased casino taxes, trade unions, improved fire safety in hotels, and the Lake Tahoe Compact. No issue was too big nor too small for Joe. He tackled the dilemma of pay toilets with the same intensity as the issue of the death penalty for murderers of police officers.

The subject of apartheid and its relationship to tourist dollars for the gaming industry found Joe in a face-to-face meeting with the South African consulate general and then on the Senate floor advocating for a ban on Nevadas investment of public funds in South Africa. Our state monies should not go to any government to enable it to maintain a system which rejects individuals based on the color of their skin. Our money should not go to any government which uses violence to maintain a system of apartheid, a system which would be illegal under our Constitution.

John L. Smith has written an amazingly comprehensive book of the complex life and times of Joe Neal dealing with matters from Mound, Louisiana, to South Africa. Joe fought the good fight always. He stood alone often. During his first term he became known as 19 to 1. He may have stood alone in the beginning, but the underdog prevailed for 32 years in his work for the State of Nevada and for the African-American communities he represented. Joe Neal was always a fearless contender. He waged and won political heavyweight championship bouts.

Claytee D. White, Director,
Oral History Research Center
at UNLV Libraries