Abstract
The Claudine Williams Photograph Collection (approximately 2007-2009) consists of nine optical disks containing ninety-eight digital surrogate images dating between 1940 and 2000. The images primarily portray Claudine Williams in publicity images for various hotel and casinos Williams and her husband owned alongside prominent individuals, including Dean Martin, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and Robert Reich. Other images depict Williams in her youth and with her family members. Additional materials include images of Williams’ business cards, articles in various Las Vegas and Nevada magazines and newspapers on Williams, and images of properties Williams operated.
Finding Aid PDF
Date
Extent
Related People/Corporations
Scope and Contents Note
The Claudine Williams Photograph Collection (approximately 2007-2009) consists of nine optical disks containing ninety-eight digital surrogate images dating between 1940 and 2000. The images primarily portray Claudine Williams in publicity images for various hotel and casinos Williams and her husband owned alongside prominent individuals, including Dean Martin, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and Robert Reich. Other images depict Williams in her youth and with her family members. Additional materials include images of Williams’ business cards, articles in various Las Vegas and Nevada magazines and newspapers on Williams, and images of properties Williams operated.
Access Note
Collection is open for research. Arrangements must be made in advance to access digital files; please
contact UNLV Special Collections and Archives for additional information.
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.
Arrangement
Materials remain in original order.
General Note
Materials consist of nine optical discs of digital surrogate photographs. The optical discs are all found in the hanging folder.
According to note with collection, 0351_0043 and 0351_0044 were "vacated" and are missing as of March 11, 2020.
Biographical / Historical Note
Claudine Barbara Williams was born in Mansfield, Louisiana on March 17, 1921. She moved to Dallas, Texas at a young age, and she began working in Benny Binion's casino nightclub. Williams bought a steakhouse and casino in 1942, and the profits made helped fund her future business endeavors.
She married Shelby Williams on February 19, 1950 and they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1964. They purchased the Silver Slipper Gambling Hall and Saloon, operating the property until they sold it to Howard Hughes in 1969. Williams and her husband took over the River Queen Casino in 1973, and renamed it the Holiday Casino. After her husband's death in 1977, Williams became the first woman casino president and general manager in Nevada gaming history.
Williams, along with several others, created the American Bank of Commerce. She became the first woman in Nevada history to chair a bank’s board of directors. She also served on several government, business, and charity boards throughout her lifetime. In 1989, Williams helped establish a scholarship fund in her husband's name at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) College of Hotel Administration. She also personally donated funds to UNLV for a dormitory construction project. To honor Williams, UNLV named the residence hall after her, and in 1994, UNLV bestowed an honorary doctoral degree upon her.
Williams died on May 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Source:
"Claudine Williams, 1921-2009." Las Vegas Review-Journal. Accessed on March 4, 2020. https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/claudine-williams-1921-2009/
Preferred Citation
Claudine Williams Photograph Collection, approximately 2007-2009. PH-00351. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
In 2007 and 2009, Claudine Williams donated digital surrogates, but retained the original items; accession
numbers 2007-09 and 2009-019.
Processing Note
In 2020, as part of an archival backlog elimination project, Ryan DiPaolo wrote the finding aid and entered the data into ArchivesSpace.