Transcript of interview with Marie Jordan by Edward Gentry, February 27, 1981

UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan i An Interview with Marie Jordan An Oral History Conducted by Edward Gentry Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives Oral History Research Center University Libraries University of Nevada, Las Vegas UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan ii © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2019 UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan iii The Oral History Research Center (OHRC) was formally established by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada System in September 2003 as an entity of the UNLV University Libraries’ Special Collections Division. The OHRC conducts oral interviews with individuals who are selected for their ability to provide first-hand observations on a variety of historical topics in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The OHRC is also home to legacy oral history interviews conducted prior to its establishment including many conducted by UNLV History Professor Ralph Roske and his students. This legacy interview transcript received minimal editing, such as the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process. UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan iv Abstract On February 27, 1981, Edward Gentry interviewed Marie Jordan in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two discuss social differences between Arizona and Las Vegas, particularly in the ways schools were segregated in Las Vegas. Jordan also discusses the “Whites Only” policy on the Strip and Downtown. The interview concludes with Jordan sharing her views on the importance of helping others. UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan 1 The person being interviewed is Marie Jordan. The date of the interview and time is February 27th, 1981, 6 PM. The place of interview is in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. The name of the collector and his address is UNLV Dorm 108 and term project is Oral History for History 117. Okay Marie, please tell me about your place and date of birth? Okay, my date of birth is June 26th—okay I won’t give you the year. Okay, I was born in Mississippi. Like I said, I’ll omit the year. My mother had me of course, and my grandmother took me away from her when I was two months old. Then we moved to (Unintelligible) Arizona. There I stayed until I was sixteen and a half years old. I moved to Las Vegas and lived with my parents there. I went to Las Vegas High School, I graduated from there and I got a job. Okay Marie. Tell me about members of your family? Okay the names of my family, which is her name, is Ruth Thomas. She’s married to Jack Thomas. I have a grandfather which is 89 years old. His name is Freeman Moore. I have a brother, that which live in Milwaukee. His name is John Smith. And I have three kids. Okay, my three kids are: Albert Tony, Marie Tony, and (Unintelligible) Tony. Okay my husband is (Unintelligible) Jordan, which we’ve been married for sixteen years. Very happy with him. Okay I cut it off again (Laughs) Okay, give me a rundown of your ethnic ancestry. Okay let’s see. First thing I’ll say is I’m plain Black, and since I am Black, can I talk about the things that I have seen with the Black people since I’ve been here? Sure, by all means. Okay, like I say, I went to Las Vegas High School. There, I didn’t have any problems. Okay, let me go back to when I was in Arizona. Okay in Arizona, we didn’t know anything about UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan 2 prejudice until I came to Las Vegas because in Arizona, all kids went together. We had Mexicans, we had Spanish, we had Black, Indians, and White of course—we all went to one school. And when I graduated from there and came here, there was a time that Blacks couldn’t even go Downtown. So in that case, what they figured, if Blacks couldn’t go Downtown, what are they gonna do—they’re going to build them a hotel or motel or some entertainment for themselves. So what they built—they built the Moulin Rouge. Okay, so, they built that and it was very successful. And all of a sudden for some strange reason, the Blacks got a break. And they went Downtown, but Sammy Davis Junior, which I’m sure everybody knows him, he was a great performer. And when he got ready to appear on stage, he had to come through the back door. And when he got ready to leave, when his performance was over, he had to come back on the Westside to rent a room. I don’t know, it seems as though things have really changed because like I said, there was a very not too many places that Blacks could go or could work. (Laughs) There wasn’t anything Blacks could do Downtown, and that includes on the Strip. Everything that a Black had to do would be over here on the Westside. Mm-hmm. Now Like I say, in school, I had no problems at all. Most of my teachers was Black, oh excuse me, no, most of my teachers was White. And they didn’t ever give me—oh maybe I shouldn’t—they didn’t give us any problems, but you could tell that there was a cloud hanging. You can tell when a person doesn’t like you because of the environment that you’re in. Well, it’s just plain prejudice. Yes. Okay Marie, now tell me a little bit about your education. Okay, like I said about my education, I went to Las Vegas High School, I graduated from there. In 1957, I got married and I stayed married for five years and I decided that I needed something UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan 3 in my head besides kids. So what I did, I took up a trade which I went to a nice school at (Unintelligible) Tech. I took up computer programming—I didn’t get a job there because I figured I wasn’t quite qualified and when I had finished school, they didn’t have open for a Black. So about four years later, I went to community college, I took up law enforcement. I went there two years and then I decided that I wanted to take up dealing. So I went to dealing school for almost six months. Okay, I graduated from that and then if I found out that there was rules and regulations about gambling, then I said, well that’s wasn’t important. (Unintelligible) Okay Marie. Tell me a little bit about your occupational history and your experiences regarding those? Okay, my first job was working at the Hacienda Hotel making bids. And I figured, why I should make bids when I didn’t even want to make my own the morning that I got up. So I decided that I wanted to do something. So what I did, I started going to employment offices and things like that and I got a job working at a men’s store named (Unintelligible) at 516 Fremont Street. I worked there for five years. I went in as a clerk and I came out as then a buyer. Then I moved from there and went to the airport and I worked there for two years as being a clothes salesman. And then I left there and went to work for a mortuary which is called (Unintelligible) Mortuary, and I worked reception in there. I quit there and I went to UNLV, which I am now employed. Okay. Okay, tell me a little bit about your awards and honors that you’ve received throughout your life. Okay, in school I received an award for driving. I received a reward for being the most accurate person in my school, in law. I bowled, and I have trophies to show that I’ve bowled. There are activities in church, and I’ve received awards from that. I believe that’s all. Alright. Could you give me any history or any illnesses in your family? UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan 4 Okay, illness in my family—apparently, when we were born, we was very, we was good, old—I don’t even know what to call it. I don’t know what to say. Illness in my family; we’ve really haven’t had any illness. My grandmother passed when she was fifty-six. Earlier, I have a step-father that’s ninety-eight. I don’t know, I guess we’re just good old people. I guess you’re all in good shape. Okay, so tell me about any of your special skills and interests? Okay, well I only have two. Well, maybe I’ll say I have three. My special interests, the first special interest I have is my family. Making sure that they are, you know, A-Okay. Second is my church. Third is bowling, I love to bowl. And if I had a fourth, I’d say I like to dance. Okay, now could you, I remember you said something about you being very active in the church thing. Could you tell me more about your church memberships and activities? Yes, I’ve—I sing in the choir. And that’s about it, I sing in the choir. I see. So tell me some of your key points in life, or I should say about other memberships in other organizations? Well, goodness gracious, I really don’t have any. But activities—dancing, bowling, swimming, boating, mostly playing cards—now that is (unintelligible) (Unintelligible) I can understand that perfectly. So, what are the key points in your life? Right now, the most important thing in my life is health. I think when you have your health, you’ve got about everything because I feel like, if you have a job, and your boss fires you, you can always get another job. If you have this room full of money and you don’t have good health, then you don’t have anything. UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan 5 That is very, very true. Can you tell me about some of your motivational aspirations and goals? And in other words, what are some of your long range goals and sort of, what makes you tick? Okay, what really makes me ticks is that I’m a distributor for Mary Kay Cosmetics. And I love to work with the people, I guess that’s why I’ve been at the Bookstore so long. Because the public is really something else. I like to do things for people and for Mary Kay, which is a cosmetics course, it makes you look better, feel better, and I personally know you’re wearing it. (Laughs) So that’s one interest. Second interest is, just being you. Let the people know you were there. True that. Okay, give me sort of a sketch of your character. How you see yourself, how you think of yourself. Oh no. (Laughs) Well, how could I put it to you? Just give me a little bit of a dent. Not so much to whereas as you say, that I don’t want to hear, you know, but just, you know, basically. Okay, I guess, to the way you put it. My character, the only thing that I can say is what really makes me tick. Okay, what really interests me is helping other people, because I guess I’m fortunate. When I see someone down, I always pick them up, I guess that’s why you’re here, because you need this. Thank you. And I’m in the (unintelligible) of helping people. I always send my clothes to Salvation Army you know, when I’m finished wearing them. Mm-hmm. I usually give ‘em to some unfortunate people. My husband and I always give to some charity. UNLV University Libraries Marie Jordan 6 Mm-hmm. ‘Cause I feel like, just because you have it today, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to have it tomorrow. And I feel like, if God can let me work for three hundred and sixty five days, I should be able to help someone too. Thank you very much Marie Jordan. This here concludes our interview here on this day in February, which is the twenty-seventh, year 1981. And the informant’s name is Marie Jordan and my name is Edward Gentry, and my address is UNLV Dormitory. Thank you very much. You’re welcome. (Laughs) (Laughs)