/ Modified aug 9, 2021 9:21 a.m.

William “Curly” and Annie Neal

The journey of William “Curly” and Annie Neal as pioneers, entrepreneurs, and in 1895 the first Black owners of luxury resort in Arizona.

In the 1890s, the Neal family was one of the wealthiest self-made families in the Tucson area. No small feat considering the Neals were Black in a place where less than one-half of 1% of the people were Black or were of mixed-race with African and European, or Native American ancestry.

William "Curly" and Annie Neal opened the Mountain View Hotel in Oracle in 1895. It was a luxury resort for people with tuberculosis and a respite for Tucsonans looking to escape the summer heat. Guests included celebrities, prominent business owners, and foreign dignitaries. Newspapers heralded the Neal’s business endeavors. This is their story.

Producer/Editor: Nina Shelton
Videographer: Gage Judd, John DeSoto
Editor: Mya Long, John DeSoto
Graphics: Carolyn Yaussy, Brian Deevers, Elena Lopez
Narrator: Tony Perkins

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