Las Vegas Honors Anna Bailey, First Black Showgirl, at Age 98

At 98 years old, Anna Bailey is living proof of resilience, talent, and history. At 20, she moved from New York to Las Vegas in 1955, becoming a pioneer African American showgirl at The Moulin Rouge, the first racially integrated casino in town.

“It was dark when we crossed over the railroad tracks and we were like uhh uhh, but when we saw the rouge we were excited,” Bailey remembered the moment she and her peers first laid eyes on the iconic venue. The Moulin Rouge was a true dream for Black performers, a stage where they could shine during utter segregation.

As The Moulin Rouge could not survive, Bailey went on to perform at famous corridor casinos like The Flamingo and The Dunes, which refused to accept segregation. Her resilience opened doors for future generations of Black entertainers in Las Vegas.

Her ties to the civil rights movement were fundamentally personal. You grew up with dozens of cousins, and in Las Vegas, your marriage to Dr. William “Bob” Bailey, who became the first commissioner of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and who was instrumental in the 1960 Moulin Rouge Agreement, which was a landmark decision that ended the segregation of the Las Vegas Strip. Their common devotion to advancement was indelible on the city's entertainment and social scene.

Bailey is survived by her two children, Kimberly Bailey Tureaud and Attorney John Bailey, who live in Las Vegas. With her 99th birthday approaching this summer, she looks back on a life of pioneering achievements, fond memories, and the passing of many friends.

In February, she was honored with a page in the Las Vegas Black Image Honors to recognize her contributions as a forerunner in Las Vegas entertainment and civil rights history. From the iconic stage of the Moulin Rouge to the embodiment of strength and elegance, her legacy lives on in the hearts of those who witness her work, ensuring that Dion will always be a part of the fabric of Las Vegas.