Audio recording clips of interview with Rev. Claude H. and Stella Parson by Maurice R. Page, February 26, 1977

There were no paved streets or street lights. Whether you would say housing was adequate—now most people were buying lots and building their own homes. Around that time, there were no government housing projects or anything like that. You didn't get into that 'til almost, oh, it must have been 1955. I think the first contractors ventured out to build some housing there. Collector: Was financing difficult to obtain, at that time, for housing? C. Parson: Well, it was almost nil as far as banks loaning money to build houses. Most people just sort of built them from what they could buy and they just took their time. Might take them three or four years to build a home, but they just sort of, from their paychecks, built little by little. There was almost no financing at all for building in West Las Vegas until around '55. Collector: Then, at that time, they opened up tract homes? C. Parson: Yes, the Berkley Square tract — that' s not too far from here— the first tract that was built. They must have put up a couple hundred homes at that time because there were so many Blacks living in that area wanting homes. It took them very little time to sell them out. I think they sold all of them within a year. They saw that there was such a need for housing. Blacks were working pretty steady and the money coming in, and right after they sold those hundred they put up another couple hundred on the other end of the Westside. When I started pastoring, I felt very strongly that it should be divided between the minister and the church and even that up to a certain point. And by me doing that, surprising enough, now people are very faithful to their tithing to the church. My salary just goes up each year, knowing that the same amount is going into the church treasury. We want to build or give to missions or whatever, then both the church and the pastor need to be met rather easily from them. So, I'm quite pleased with the decision I made. Collector: Well, have you been surprised at the progress that the Blacks have made in Las Vegas in the past since you've been here? C. Parson: I've been rather pleased in a sense with the progress; I don't know that I've been so surprised. I always felt that all that they needed in Las Vegas is an opportunity to get a foot in the door. Several things have happened, the government through the courts has broken down the segregation in the schools and public places. Mainly some of the legislation has brought equal opportunity in employment and has done wonders for this town. Now, I'm not saying that they are really up to where they should be by now, but not so much surprised when I think once the door is open, then many well-trained Blacks all over the country begin to kind of move into this area, whether it's in education or business or law or whatever.