Before she retired last year after over four decades as a hairdresser, Bridgette Butler of Las Vegas was gifted a tribal outfit by an African client.

Gold-colored with intricate patterns, the clothing, she said, was perhaps a bit over the top for every day use, though Saturday’s fourth annual Black History Month Community Celebration in North Las Vegas seemed like the right place to break it out.

“I told her, ‘where am I going to wear this?’” Butler said. “She said to just wear it around the house. It’s very beautiful with several silk pieces. This was just the perfect time to wear it.”

Butler, 64, attended Saturday’s celebration at Aliante Nature Discovery Park with her daughter, 26-year-old Barae Butler, who graduated from Oregon State University with an art degree. The younger Butler is back home as she maps out her next move in life.

The mother and daughter pair were two of several hundred who came out for the event, which featured live entertainment, food trucks and vendor booths.

The younger Butler, who grew up in Las Vegas, said it’s important for Black history to be celebrated.

“Going through school, you don’t get a lot about Black history,” Barae Butler said. “You learn about the same three or four people. Having these types of events is important to me because I feel like I’ve had to do more searching for Black history outside of school. These events, I think, help me be able to connect with other Black people, but also learn more history.”

A day of fun

As the Butlers roamed around the vendor booths, those at the celebration seemed to enjoy the near perfect weather and the entertainment.

On stage, one group performed old songs from the Motown era while, later, 12-year-old rapper Lil Jeezy livened the crowd by performing his track “I’m a Baller.”

North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, Nevada’s first-ever Black mayor, seemed to be recognized my many and was often stopped for photograph requests.

“We’re celebrating our city’s diversity and honoring Black History Month,” Goynes-Brown said. “It’s about celebrating those who paved the way for us while also celebrating our present and our future.”

DeJuan Hazel of North Las Vegas brought his 7-year-old son, Braylen, and his energetic pit bull named Bingo to the park to enjoy the festivities.

“It’s important to support something like this in the city you live in and pay taxes in because it can go away if people don’t support it,” Hazel said. “We wanted to come out, get some sunlight, have some fellowship, and walk around the park and meet people. There’s food here, entertainment, lots of youth groups — it’s a great way to celebrate Black history.”

More to be done

While many barriers for African Americans have been broken in recent decades, Bridgette and Barae Butler agreed that more work needs to be done.

Barae Butler, who will decide soon on whether to attend graduate school, said she’s been troubled by recent rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion standards at the federal level.

“I think that’s a huge step backwards,” she said. “Those were some of the only things that were allowing some qualified people into certain jobs or schools or professional experiences. Now, companies are able to just say they’re not going to do that anymore. When it comes to things like that, I think it clearly shows that we still have a long way to go, though we have made great strides and I celebrate that.”

As to why she wanted to attend Saturday’s celebration, Bridgette Butler seemed to sum up her thoughts with one word.

“It’s Black History Month,” she said. “It’s monumental.”

Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.