The Westside Slugger: Joe Neal's Lifelong Fight for Social Justice

Shepperson Series in Nevada History, Book 1

By: John L. Smith

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

The Westside Slugger is the powerful story of civil rights in Las Vegas and Nevada through the eyes and experience of Joe Neal, a history-making 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 University—studying 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 Nevada’s political kingmakers and casino titans. He didn’t always succeed—he lost two runs for governor—but he never stopped fighting. His successes included improved rights for convicted felons and greater services for public education, mental health, and the state’s 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 fair. Pushing 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.

©2019 John L. Smith (P)2022 University of Nevada Press

Critic reviews

"In The Westside Slugger, John L. Smith has worked assiduously to chronicle the life of man whose political activism and electoral career left an indelible mark on Nevada history...Political junkies will love to learn how Neal deftly used the Mason’s Manual, the legislature parliamentary rules book, against his opponents in floor fights over progressive measures such as the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Rich in detail, The Westside Slugger also tells the larger, but rarely recounted, story of the struggle against racial discrimination in Nevada."

— James McGrath Morris, New York Times bestselling-author of Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, The First Lady of the Black Press

“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.”

— Claytee D. White, Director, Oral History Research Center at UNLV Libraries, from the foreword

“Smith uses an effective mix of interviews, new reports, and contemporaneous quotes to track Neal’s political rise…. Smith’s book portrays him as a man well respected even by his opponents for his consistency and convictions. With a daughter following in his political footsteps, Joe Neal’s story isn’t yet over, and The Westside Slugger does a nice job detailing what’s happened so far."

— Foreword Reviews