LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Bailey Family is one of the most prominent names in the African-American community in Southern Nevada, known for their contributions to Las Vegas.
Recently, Kimberly Bailey-Tureaud received the African-American Trailblazer Impact Award from the City of Las Vegas. Her journey of giving back started when she helped KCEP 88.1 FM radio get an antenna so the station could be heard throughout the valley.
"I did a concert for the radio station. And so that concert had, you know, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Barry White, Earth, Wind & Fire, all my good friends, James Ingram, and it raised money for the radio station to get the antenna on Black Mountain," she said.
Kimberly and her husband Charles also created The Tastes and Sounds of Soul, a large soul food festival with over 100 vendors in the heart of Fremont Street, an event Channel 13 has sponsored for many years.
"I developed the Taste of Soul event, and later on, we renamed it to the Tastes and Sounds of Soul," Kimberly said. "Got with Mr. Don Barden on Fremont Street. He used to be the owner of Fitzgeralds, now the D Hotel. And so we showcased those businesses because Dr. Martin Luther King, in his final days, his fight was for economic freedoms, economic freedoms for all people."
The couple also created Black Image Magazine in Southern Nevada. It features those making an impact in the community.
WATCH | Black publication printing positivity in Las Vegas
"So Black Image Magazine is about looking at people of all backgrounds, not just about low income, high income, doesn't really matter," Charles said. "It just matters about what their vision is and what they're doing on a regular basis that inspires. And so we look for inspirational stories."
If you're wondering where all this motivation comes from, meet Kimberly's mother, 98-year-old Anna Bailey, a former Moulin Rouge dancer.
WATCH | A look back at Las Vegas' historic Moulin Rouge
"They gave me the credit of being the first Black showgirl on the Strip because I did work the Dunes and the Flamingo Hotel, and that was kind of unheard of during that time," she said.
Anna remembers the days of segregation in Las Vegas.
"We had to go through the kitchen to get to the stage and things like that. So it wasn't too pleasant," she said.
Two years ago, Anna was featured in O Magazine for breaking barriers.
Anna's late husband and Kimberly's father Bob Bailey also broke barriers. Appointed by then-Gov. Grant Sawyer to the Equal Rights Committee, Bailey exposed discrimination in Las Vegas.
Bob Bailey also became the first African-American TV host in Las Vegas on Channel 13 for almost 20 years.
WATCH | Remembering Bob Bailey, how he changed Las Vegas television
"Everybody that came to Vegas was on the show. So he would have Bill Cosby, and I can't even think, and Sammie Davis, and Redd Foxx, just all of them, and that was unheard of during that time," Anna said.
As we honor Black History Month in Southern Nevada, we remember the contributions of the late Bob Bailey and celebrate his family still giving back: wife Anna, daughter Kimberly Bailey-Tureaud, and her husband of 21 years Charles, for still making an impact in Las Vegas.
