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Sammy Davis Jr. singing onstage at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, most likely in the 1960s.
Sands Hotel Photograph Collection, 1950-1980. PH-00287. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Harrison House

1001 F Street Las Vegas NV United States 89106

Built in 1942

In the 1940s and 1950s, Las Vegas drew performers from across the country. Built in 1942 in West Las Vegas and owned by Genevieve Harrison, the Harrison House provided lodging for Black entertainers, business travelers, and others who were unable to stay at Strip hotels due to segregation.

The Harrison House became a safe, welcoming space where Black entertainers could rest and relax. Guests included notable performers like Sammy Davis Jr., who stayed so often that a room is named after him. Now a cultural center, the Harrison House remains a gathering and educational site for the Historic Westside.

People:

• Genevieve Harrison, unknown-1957**
  • Genevieve Harrison moved from Texas to Nevada during World War II, and her guest house became a safe place to stay for Black entertainers, including notable figures Nat King Cole, Pearl Bailey, and Sammy Davis Jr., who were not allowed to stay in other hotels due to segregation. During the 1940s and 1950s, boarding houses like Harrison's were some of the only places where Black travelers could find lodging.
  • ****Researcher Note: Verification of exact birth and death dates has not been confirmed due to limitations in the archival record.

Learn More:

• https://www.harrisonhouselv.org/
• https://www.nps.gov/places/harrison-s-guest-house.htm
• https://www.8newsnow.com/news/hidden-history-harrison-house-provided-refuge-for-black-entertainers/

For questions or comments, please reach out to the Clark County Museum at ccmuseum@clarkcountynv.gov.