Oral history interview with Claudine Williams conducted by Joanne Goodwin on November 20, 1997 and November 09, 2005 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Goodwin begins the interview by discussing growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and how she supported her single mother. She goes on to describe her education and early jobs in restaurants and newsstands in Texas. Goodman then talks about meeting her husband, Shelby Williams, and how she became involved in the gaming industry, including her work with Benny Binion in Dallas, Texas and Jake Freidman in Houston, Texas. She describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963, and how she and Shelby developed the Silver Slipper Casino, which was sold to Howard Hughes, and Holiday Casino, which eventually became Harrah's Hotel and Casino. Williams also speaks about her community involvement, including philanthropic efforts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Donald Zeiter conducted by Robert Beasley on March 14, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Zeiter discusses construction in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lavell Jarrett conducted by Robert B. Grzywacz on February 22, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In his interview Jarrett discusses his early life in Utah and his career with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Shecky Greene conducted by Barbara Tabach on June 5, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Greene talks about seeking work in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada in the 1950s. Greene also discusses how he developed his comedy career following from Jewish people to mainstream, doing accents and making up words. He also talks about his passion for the St. Judes Ranch in Boulder City, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Joanna S. Kishner conducted by Barbara Tabach on January 10, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Kishner discusses being born and raised in both the Jewish and secular worlds of Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses the importance of the Jewish tradition of Tzedakah, and what it was like to work on a Kibbutz in Israel after her freshman year at Claremont McKenna College. Kishner also discusses desegregation of Las Vegas schools.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Myram Borders conducted by Mara E. Vernon on April 01, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Borders discusses her work as a United Press International (UPI) reporter after her graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno. Borders describes her administrative experiences with the UPI bureau in Las Vegas, Nevada, difficulties regarding news photography and Nevada statutes, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas News Bureau, Las Vegas tourism, and influential figures in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Robert “Bob” Agonia conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo on September 6, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Agonia recalls his community being very diverse, with families sharing Filipino and Mexican American heritage and his neighbors being Japanese Americans. Agonia also discusses the role he played in starting the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) engineering school, and helping start a Minority Engineering Program at UNLV. He then speaks about Latino community involvement in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Benjamin Buckles conducted by Irene Rostine on October 11 and 23, 1995 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN). In his interviews, Buckles discusses visiting Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1940s and eventually settling in Henderson, Nevada in 1950. He describes working for Rheem Manufacturing Company at the Basic Magnesium Incorporated (BMI) industrial complex. Buckles discusses the presence of a union at the manufacturing plant and describes working conditions and benefits. Buckles also talks about the security of the complex and the crime rates of the surrounding area. Lastly, he describes his recreational interests and his wife.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Maxine Buckles conducted by Irene Rostine on September 20, 1995 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN). In this interview, Buckles discusses her life in Boulder City, Nevada in the 1930s and 1940s. She talks about her high school years, working for a bank, and working for the Rheem Manufacturing Company at the Basic Magnesium Incorporated (BMI) industrial complex during World War II. Buckles describes working conditions for women, unions, and security at the BMI industrial complex.
Archival Collection