Rhythm and Resilience: Black Vegas explores African American life in Las Vegas from the arrival of its first Black resident through the 1980s. This powerful exhibition serves as both a visual and auditory history lesson, tracing the impacts of segregation and racial barriers while celebrating the creativity, resilience and achievements that shaped the city’s character.
Beginning with John Howell, the first African American settler, the exhibition follows the growth of a downtown Black community and its forced relocation in the early twentieth century to what became the Historic Westside. Despite systemic exclusion, residents built something extraordinary.
Once African Americans were pushed west, they established a thriving business community. Jackson Avenue became the heart of that corridor — a vibrant stretch of entrepreneurship, culture and connection. Businesses lined nearby streets, but Jackson Avenue stood at the center of economic and social life.
The Historic Westside emerged as a dynamic cultural and social hub in the face of racial barriers and segregation. The exhibit highlights thriving Black-owned businesses, spirit-filled churches, influential civic organizations and a nightlife scene that welcomed some of the greatest entertainers of the era. While Black performers often headlined on the Strip but were not permitted to stay in Strip hotels, the Westside became a place of belonging, music and resilience.
Through artwork, displays and artifacts, the exhibition honors the enduring legacy and resilient spirit of the African American community in Las Vegas.
Ward 5 Councilwoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong toured the exhibition with curator Carmen Beals and narrator Claytee White during her first visit and described it as utterly amazing. She reflected on how the exhibit tells an essential story of Black life in Las Vegas and preserves a foundational chapter of the city’s history.
Rhythm and Resilience: Black Vegas is more than a retrospective. It is an invitation to reflect on how segregation shaped the city’s physical and social landscape, to honor the determination that flourished despite barriers, and to recognize the African American community’s lasting influence on the identity, spirit and future of Las Vegas.
The city of Las Vegas invites residents and visitors alike to explore and rediscover this powerful chapter in our shared history.
Curated by Carmen Beals | Narrated by Claytee White
On view through Aug. 20, 2026
Las Vegas Civic Center Art Gallery
525 S. Main St., Building A
Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday–Thursday (closed holidays)
Free and open to the public