HISTORIC BLACK VEGAS: Revisiting Las Vegas History: Who Was the First Black Doctor?

BY CLAYTEE D. WHITE

When I interviewed community entrepreneur Sarann Knight Preddy in the mid-1990s, she told me there had been a Black doctor in Las Vegas during the 1940s. She recalled that he was a chiropractor. Chiropractic care is often considered an alternative form of medicine compared to traditional healthcare, and many people associate chiropractors with treating musculoskeletal injuries, such as those resulting from automobile accidents. Becoming a chiropractor requires extensive medical education and completion of a Doctor of Chiropractic program; but while chiropractors are highly trained healthcare professionals, they are generally not classified as medical doctors. 

Recently, I received a text message from Minister Stretch Sanders regarding articles he discovered in The Las Vegas Age (October 19, 1947) and the Las Vegas Review-Journal (September 30, 1948). These articles indicate that Dr. Roy G. Hay, D.C., N.D., may have been the first Black doctor to practice in Las Vegas. Preddy had remembered the physician as “Dr. DeHay,” which was likely a mistaken recollection of Dr. Hay’s name. Upon reviewing Sanders’ findings, I immediately realized he had uncovered the doctor Preddy had referenced all those years ago. 

As I often use terms such as Black or African-American when discussing community history, I found Sanders’ additional observation noteworthy. In his message, he described Dr. Hay as a “physician of color” and noted that Dr. Hay was not descended from Africans enslaved in America. According to Sanders, Dr. Hay identified as Afro-Latino. 

So, has our history changed? 

Our knowledge of history evolves when new evidence comes to light. What makes Sanders’ discovery particularly significant is that Dr. Hay was more than a healthcare provider. He operated a free clinic for children at F and Jackson Streets, supported by churches and businesses throughout the Westside community. Like many early civic leaders, he was deeply involved in community development. 

The Review-Journal reported: 

Pointing to a program of self-help as one of the primary objectives of the Westside Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Roy G. Hay, president of the newly formed organization’s executive committee, speaking before a meeting of members and guests, said the chamber is to be an instrument of civic improvement and better living conditions with a non-sectarian, non-partisan policy. 

The question remains: Should Dr. Hay be recognized as the first Black physician in Las Vegas, the first African-American physician, or the first Latino physician? 

At this point, I will likely continue to identify Dr. Charles I. West as the first African American physician in Las Vegas while recognizing Dr. Roy G. Hay as the city’s first Afro-Latino physician and one of its earliest Black healthcare pioneers. 

What do you think? Does the distinction matter? 

To me, it does. My goal is to help chronicle the history of the Las Vegas Black community as accurately as possible. For too long, the contributions of Black Americans have not received the recognition they deserve within the broader story of our nation. At the same time, it is important to honor the unique contributions of all communities and cultures that helped build Las Vegas. 

Each group has its own story, and together those stories form a richer, more complete history. By recognizing those distinctions while celebrating our shared accomplishments, we can better understand how our collective efforts have contributed to creating a community — and a world — that works for everyone.