Isadore Washington was born in Tallulah, Louisiana, the son of Isadore Washington, Sr., and Destelle Washington. His father came out to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1930s to work on Hoover Dam, and the family followed in 1942 when Isadore was eight years old. His mother worked at the El Rancho and Last Frontier Hotels, the Shaw Apartments and Harrison boarding house on the Westside where black entertainers were expected to stay. Washington recalls playing with Wayne Newton when they were children and life on the Westside where he attended the Westside School.

Marcia L. Washington was born in Tallulah, Louisiana on February 8th, 1953. She moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1966, she was 13 and had always attended black only schools. In Las Vegas, she would experience her first school integration and bussing. Marcia Washington and Dave Washington got married on June 10, 1972, and eventually had four children, April, Vernon, Angel and Amber. In 2000, her passions lead her to become the first African American on the State Board of Education, where she was an active voice for eight years.

Nathaniel Whaley was born on July 01, 1934 in Tallulah, Louisiana. He moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1943. He married his wife Eva, in 1984. Before leaving high school to provide for his new wife and son, Nathaniel had a successful high school career as an accomplished athlete and Eagle Scout in the first black Boy Scout troop in the area. Nathaniel would go on to have a fruitful career as a mason and contractor, literally helping build the city of Las Vegas. His jobs included the Dunes, the Sands, Union Plaza and the Maxim Hotel.

June F. Whitley was born in San Angelo, Texas and raised in Pittsburg, California. She met Lewis Whitley at the First Baptist Church in Pittsburg. They were married in 1955, and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. June found work as a maid for the Sahara Hotel before being hired at the Centel Telephone Company as an operator. In 1978, June became involved in local politics sought a seat on the Board of Regents for Clark County Community College, and eventually became the first woman Chairperson of the board.

Roscoe Wilkes was born in Bonanza, Colorado on Janruary 25, 1918. He moved with his family to Pioche, Nevada in 1927. He was a lead zinc miner, a grade school teacher, and a PBX operator before he enlisted in the military during World War II. Wilkes was a prisoner of war in Romania. He got a law degree and went back to Pioche where he was a district attorney and later a judge.

Estralita Wiliams was born on October 16, 1956 in Las Vegas, Nevada, a Clark High School graduate. Her parents had relocated from Arkansas before her birth. Estralita is studious and reserved, someone who preferred being in the school library. Though she can recall the segregation and unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s, she also playfully shares family stories of growing up in West Las Vegas.

Kathleen Linkner was born on April 02, 1952 in Berkeley, California. She worked in the casino industry and was the first female credit manager in the entire Caesars organization. She married Donald Klinkner on April 15, 1983.