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Donna Silva oral history interview (OH-03891)

Abstract

Oral history interview with Donna Silva conducted by Claytee D. White on February 6, 2023 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Silva recalls her childhood living in Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Valdosta, Georgia; and Japan. When her family settled in Las Vegas, her family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but Silva later left the organization as a teenager. Throughout the interview, Silva recalls memories of the Rolling Stones, Steve Wynn, Elvis, and doing lighting work throughout the city as the first female to join the stagehand's union. Silva's work in the hotel/casino industry provides insight in work on the casino floor and behind the curtains of entertainment venues. She worked as a cocktail waitress, cigarette girl, and then backstage as a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Her passion later turned to working with the Rape Crisis Center, where Silva has acquired training that allows her to go to hospitals to assist patients.

Finding Aid PDF

Date

2023-02-06

Extent

2 digital_files (0.160 GB) MP3, PDF/A

Related People/Corporations

Scope and Contents Note

Oral history interview with Donna Silva conducted by Claytee D. White on February 6, 2023 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Silva recalls her childhood living in Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Valdosta, Georgia; and Japan. When her family settled in Las Vegas, her family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but Silva later left the organization as a teenager. Throughout the interview, Silva recalls memories of the Rolling Stones, Steve Wynn, Elvis, and doing lighting work throughout the city as the first female to join the stagehand's union. Silva's work in the hotel/casino industry provides insight in work on the casino floor and behind the curtains of entertainment venues. She worked as a cocktail waitress, cigarette girl, and then backstage as a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Her passion later turned to working with the Rape Crisis Center, where Silva has acquired training that allows her to go to hospitals to assist patients. Digital audio and transcript available.

Access Note

Collection is open for research. Where use copies do not exist, production of use copies is required before access will be granted; this may delay research requests. Advanced notice is required.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish. Some transcripts do not exist in final form, therefore any editing marks in a transcript (deletions, additions, corrections) are to be quoted as marked.

Preferred Citation

Donna Silva oral history interview, 2023 February 06. OH-03891. [Cite format consulted: Audio recording or Transcript.] Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Acquisition Note

This interview was conducted and transcribed by the Oral History Research Center (OHRC) which is part of the UNLV University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Division.

Processing Note

Interview materials were processed by UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives in 2023. Sarah Jones wrote the collection description. Access copies were created for born-digital audio files.

Collection Type

EAD ID

US::NvLN::OH03891

Finding Aid Description Rules

Describing Archives: A Content Standard
English