Description
The Westside Slugger is the powerful story of civil rights in Las Vegas and Nevada through the eyes and experience of Joe Neal a historymaking state lawmaker in Nevada Neal rose from humble beginnings in Mound Louisiana during the Great Depression to become the first African American to serve in the Nevada State Senate
Filled with an intense desire for education he joined the United States Air Force and later graduated from Southern Universitystudying political science and the law at a time of great upheaval in the racial status quo As part of a group of courageous men Neal joined a Department of Justice effort to register the first black voters in Madison Parish
When Neal moved to southern Nevada in 1963 he found the Silver State to be every bit as discriminatory as his former Louisiana home As Neal climbed through the political ranks he used his position in the state senate to speak on behalf of the powerless for more than thirty years He took on an array of powerful opponents ranging from the Clark County sheriff to the governor of the state as well as Nevadas political kingmakers and casino titans He didnt always succeedhe lost two runs for governorbut he never stopped fighting His successes included improved rights for convicted felons and greater services for public education mental health and the states libraries He also played an integral role in improving hotel fire safety in the wake of the deadly MGM Grand fire and preserving the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe which brought him national attention
Neal lived a life that personified what is right just and fairPushing through racial and civil rights hurdles and becoming a lifelong advocate for social justice his dedication and determination are powerful reminders to always fight the good fight and never stop swinging
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