HISTORIC BLACK VEGAS: Whether Lewis or Louis, may indelible Black history reign

BY CLAYTEE D. WHITE

This column should be written as two independent articles but both people must be acknowledged in the month of May. 

The first Kentucky Derby occurred on May 17, 1875 and was won by Oliver Lewis, an African-American jockey. 

Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, was born on May 14, 1914 and became the heavyweight champion of the world. 

And in both instances, there is a significant connection with Las Vegas. 

Oliver Lewis was a free Black man during a time of chattel slavery in the United States. During the first Run for the Roses, most jockeys had once been enslaved on plantations where horses were raised and trained by Blacks. The winning horse, Aristides, was trained by a Black man as well. 

Surprisingly, after the 1875 racing season, Lewis disappeared from the profession. It is equally mysterious to me that a decade after the end of the Civil War that freed Black Americans from forced, unpaid, generational labor, the first Kentucky Derby showcased 13 Black jockeys out of 15 riders. But maybe the extinguishing of Black jockeys is one of the greatest examples of racism. As white jockeys and Jim Crow increased in intensity, they threatened professional Black jockeys with the crop and by forcing their horses into dangerous positions against the rail. 

Thus, racetracks lost color. Lewis eventually took over his father’s lucrative betting business. Today, horse racing is still the sport of kings and the Kentucky Derby adds a bit of glamour and elegance to Las Vegas. Hats and fascinators exist with slot machines and mint juleps. Now we can add the history of Black jockeys to our repertoire of knowledge. Read more about Black jockeys at the archives of NPR and the National Museum of Racing. 

In May 1955, if we had been fortunate enough to party at the Moulin Rouge, our host would have been Joe Louis, a two percent owner of the first integrated hotel casino in Las Vegas. Six months later, the Moulin Rouge’s heyday had ended. Louis competed in professional boxing from 1934 to 1951. His reign as heavyweight champion lasted from 1937 to 1949 with 25 consecutive title defenses. 

Little known facts about Louis include his desire to have beautiful, smart women in his company. Alice Key told the story of Louis commissioning a private train car and offering trips across the country to showgirls who were known to discuss the international news of the day. Most damning though was Louis’ unrequited love of this country. During World War II, Louis participated in staged bouts and donated all proceeds, over $90,000, to the U.S. government. The IRS later credited these donations as taxable income and added interest onto the past due taxes on those earnings. Louis retired in Las Vegas as a host at Caesars Palace. His Las Vegas family has formed a small museum of his significant accomplishments.