As Black History Month begins, here’s a park that pays tribute to Las Vegans

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A park that highlights decades of contributions by Black residents in the Las Vegas valley is a natural place to start your education during Black History Month.

The unique park, tucked in behind fast food restaurants along Martin L King Boulevard, just south of Lake Mead Boulevard, opened in December.

Alongside a small playground and an elegant statue of Barack Obama, the park pays tribute to a growing list of Black Las Vegans who played big parts in making Las Vegas what it is today. It’s built on a proud foundation that includes teachers, police officers, judges, politicians and others from a wide variety of backgrounds.

The park — a partnership between the City of Las Vegas and Clark County — honors the biggest names in the Black community, but also some that you might not know. And the park’s creators made sure there’s a plan to honor those who make a difference in the future.

“The park is a tribute to the trailblazers who helped build our community,” Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear said in a Monday statement. “We will continue to honor our trailblazers there in the future.”

No events directly tied to Black History Month are scheduled at the park yet this year, but that could change.

“I expect multiple uses of the Historic Westside Legacy Park, with a wide range of events and programs, like the West Prep Academy field trip this coming Saturday afternoon, as well as corporate outings and various community events,” Crear said.

In addition to the tributes to Las Vegans, the park features panels with historic photos, and a grid that shows the streets that make up the area.