Listening to old music from the 50's, Billy Eckstine is singing, and he is bringing back memories of the last time I saw him, the mid-fifties in Reno, I forget which club. He made his entrance with a woman on each arm, "a white woman," and in those days, that was a "no no." "Blacks" could not be in the clubs, unless entertaining. There were very few restaurants they could frequent ..... my point being, I never asked "Why?'
It was obviously wrong, there was no reason for it, but for some reason, I never asked that one question of anyone, "why?"
We allowed Indians, American Indians, orientals, everyone, but no blacks. And basically, we were in a business where we were doing nothing but taking their money away from them. I never heard anyone comment on it or ask why, it was just accepted, NO BLACKS.
"They" had the New China Club, I'm sure they had restaurants, but I don't know where they were. I became good friends with Billy Ward, a black entertainer, of Billy Ward and the Dominoes. I had to have them over to the house for dinner, and there was no place, out, that we could go together. And, I never questioned ... "Why."
It was just the "way it was" and just accepted. There are some courageous blacks that questioned it, and due to them, things changed. No "whites" come to mind though.
Makes me wonder what all is happening today,, and is anyone asking that same question or are we just complacent and walking around, veiled, accepting things as they are and not asking that why question.
I wonder how much of history would be altered if we had asked that one word question, more?
I remember the morning, late fifties, very early, probably around 6 am, that a woman walked in to the Primm and started playing 21. It did not take her long to lose a few hundred dollars. Then, her husband entered, he was black. Don got on the phone to Ernie Primm. The decision, get her even, and "back her off." They did, the couple was ushered to the bar and drinks were bought for them. The first black man at the bar in the Primm. Many phone calls ensued, probably all over Reno, if not the state of Nevada.
After a half hour or so, Ernie called back, "Open the doors." That was it, segregation in the casinos in Nevada was over. Still no "Whys," just the way it was.
We need more "Why'ers" today, and I don't hear any.
