The African American Experience Community Scanning Day Photograph Collection (approximately 1958-1980, 2004) is comprised of digital surrogates of photographic prints and ephemera that document the experiences of the African American community in Las Vegas, Nevada. Materials were donated by members of the Las Vegas community as part of a community scanning day event hosted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's University Libraries in 2013.
Documenting the African American Experience in Las Vegas, Nevada Web Archive is comprised of archived websites captured primarily in 2017 that are related to UNLV University Libraries community documentation project, "Documenting the African American Experience in Las Vegas." Archived websites represent religious institutions, civic and service organizations, and local businesses in the Las Vegas Valley. The collection includes archived websites of organizations like the local NAACP branch, the Urban Chamber of Commerce, Westside School Alumni Foundation, 100 Black Men of Las Vegas, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the First African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Psi Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Town hall meeting for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project facilitated by Claytee D. White on May 11, 2013. In this town hall, White explains the mission and the purpose behind the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Attendees also speak, telling stories and histories of the African American people and communities in Las Vegas, Nevada.
African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project event roundtable conducted by Claytee D. White on January 18, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this panel event, Jean Childs, Joe Neal, Jackie Brantley, LaVerne Ligon, and Ramon Savoy discuss their early lives and explain how they arrived to Las Vegas, Nevada. Childs talks about her father’s business, the Penguin Club, and the history of African Americans in the gaming industry. She talks about her involvement with the Economic Opportunity Board (EOB) and the Head Sstart federal program. Savoy remembers the foundation of Las Vegas Sentinel-Voice and the challenges of distributing weekly publications during the late 1950s. Neal recalls his first political campaign, being a chairman for the EOB, and becoming a Nevada State Senator. Later, Brantley describes the 1971 consent decree, discrimination against African American workers in the gaming industry, and her career in hotel management. Ligon remembers her career as a dancer, being a part of an all-African American dance line, and integration in the entertainment industry.
The Las Vegas African American Community Conversations is a four-part conversation with local Las Vegans. The first part of the round table is moderated by Trisha Geran with a central theme of "Migration, Work and Community Emergence." The panelists discuss the early history of the African American community in Las Vegas, Nevada. They also discuss how and why their families moved to Las Vegas, most citing the economic opportunities as a major factor. The participants share their personal histories and family histories building up the African American community in downtown Las Vegas and the Westside. The second part of the round table is moderated by Sonya Horsford with a central theme of "Education, Economy, and Integration." The panelists discuss the Clark County School District pre- and post-integration. They discuss the hardships of the Sixth Grade Center Integration Plan on the African American community as well as discussing the differences in the school facilities. The round table participants also discuss the social services and social programs and the history of those programs from the African American perspective. They also discuss civic involvement and the various civic groups started by the panelists, and share discrimination they faced.
The third part of the round table is moderated by Claytee D. White with a central theme of "Civil Rights and Entertainment." The panelists discuss the racism and segregation present in Las Vegas and discuss how African American community leaders worked to integrate African Americans into the Las Vegas community. They discuss the 1969 riots in detail, and discuss African American entertainers and the entertainment industry. They share personal experiences working in the entertainment industry and discuss the importance of the local unions, such as the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 720, and their contributions to the unions. The fourth and final part of the round table is moderated by Rachel Anderson with a central theme of the "Early African American Legal Community." The panelists discuss the foundations of the professional legal community in Las Vegas, noting the contributions of Charles Keller, Dr. William Bailey, and the Reverend Marion Bennett as driving forces for civil rights activism in Las Vegas. They share their experiences growing up in Las Vegas facing discrimination and segregation. Lastly, they share the changes they have seen and how both the legal and African African communities have grown.
Oral history interviews with Ruby Amie Pilot, Eva G. Simmons, Melvin Sanders, Jarmilla McMillan-Arnold, Hannah Brown, Sonny Thomas, and Claytee White conducted by Vegas PBS on April 01, 2013, April 02, 2013, April 12, 2013, and November 19, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In these interviews, the participants discuss their early lives and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Pilot talks about segregation on the Las Vegas Strip, integration, and the importance of church activities in the African American community. Simmons describes her career as a teacher, the schools on the Westside, and businesses on Jackson Street. Thomas describes the funeral industry and his role as a funeral director. McMillan-Arnold talks about segregated Las Vegas, African American entertainers, and the issue of homelessness on the Westside. Brown remembers growing up on the Westside, segregated schools, and her role as President of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Las Vegas chapter. Lastly, Sanders discusses his childhood in Las Vegas, being the son of a preacher, and the redevelopment of the Westside.
Oral history interview with Kimberly Bailey-Tureaud conducted by Patricia Holland on April 21, 2015 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Bailey-Tureaud discusses her career in radio broadcasting and her personal magazine, Las Vegas Black Image, which is published in Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes organizing a concert with a former radio station run by the Economic Opportunity Board, which featured African American musical talent, and working in conjunction with local African American radio station KCEP to promote Las Vegas Black Image, a publication which focuses on the African American community in Las Vegas. Bailey-Tureaud also discusses the lack of African American media in the Las Vegas area, how she sees Las Vegas and African American media in the city progressing in the future, and how she feels political and business interests suppress African American media in some circumstances.
Oral history interview with Gwendolyn Walker conducted by Claytee D. White on July 15, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Walker discusses her mother founding S.W.A.P. (Students With a Purpose) and the Swapettes, the first precision drill team in Las Vegas, Nevada. Walker also talks about collecting African American memorabilia and founding the Walker African American Museum, and some notable family members.
Oral history interviews with Sherril and Samuel Coleman conducted by Claytee White on February 12 and 22, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In these interviews, Sherrill and Samuel Coleman discuss experiencing violence against African Americans in Durant, Mississippi, and discuss moving to Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1990s. The Colemans later describe their contributions with the African American community and recall the poor working conditions for African Americans in Las Vegas and throughout the United States. The two then discuss social class, American Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO), and their involvement with religious organizations.
Oral history interview with Ernest Fountain conducted by Claytee D. White on March 27, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Fountain discusses African American owned businesses and explains why these businesses are disproportionately disappearing and going out of business. Fountain then talks about the importance of understanding finance and economics, small businesses, and starting his lending firm, New Ventures Capital Development Company. Lastly, Fountain explains the process of owning a bank, and the importance of having more African American owned financial institutions.