Oral history interview with Ron Smith conducted by Claytee D. White on May 10, 2022 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Ron Smith discusses his early life in Queens, New York and his Catholic school education. Smith served as a Red Cross volunteer at the hospital where his mother worked, and after one year at St. Johns University he volunteered for the Air Force to avoid being drafted by the Army. Soon after basic training and being trained as an aircraft mechanic, Ron Smith volunteered to go to Vietnam. Later, Smith talks about his experience owning seventeen McDonald's restaurants throughout Las Vegas, Nevada and future plans to construct a mall and residential complex on Boulder Highway in partnership with the City of Henderson.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alex X. Porter conducted by Claytee D. White on April 16, 2022 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Porter mainly discusses his membership of and devout role in the Nation of Islam. He discusses how he became involved with the religion after trying to enact change in the Black community through the NAACP. He discusses how his stance on education sets him apart from the majority of the Black community; he believes that a college degree is not necessary to teach intellectual topics to young people. Porter is active in the Las Vegas Black community as either a member or supporter of the Minister's Alliance, Shepherd's Breakfast, NAACP, Black Lives Matter, and the Nation of Islam.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Juanita Fain conducted by Claytee D. White on November 19, 2021 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Fain recalls her childhood in Newark, New Jersey and earning a doctorate degree in Higher Education administration from The Ohio State University. After she was hired by Carol Harter at Ohio State in 1980 as Director of Financial Aid, she came to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 1996 as Dean of Enrollment and Management. After various positions, she became Vice President of Student Affairs and in 2021, Interim Chief Diversity Officer was added to her responsibilities. Fain will retire in 2023 after serving her final year as a Special Liaison to President Whitfield.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Gloria Dixon conducted by Claytee D. White on May 2, 2022 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Dixon recalls her childhood growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dixon attended St. Christopher and Bishop Gorman High School, and recalls her parents' involvement in the New Jerusalem Church. Dixon discusses writing grants to help with community education programs, and using her experience as a hospice nurse for the last thirty years to help communicate information about public health crises. Throughout the interview, Dixon shares information about the businesses in the Las Vegas Black community on Jackson Street.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William O'Neill McCurdy Sr. by Claytee D. White on January 26, 2022 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, McCurdy describes his childhood gorwing up in Las Vegas, Nevada, graduating from Valley High School, and attending Western Nevada College in Carson City, Nevada. He worked for many years for the Parks and Recreation department, and has served on numerous boards including the Citizens' Advisory for Regional Transportation (RTC), Habitat for Humanity Board of Director, Mineral County Economic Advisory Committee, City of Las Vegas Community Block Grant Advisory Board, and Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority Commission. Currently, McCurdy owns McCurdy & McCurdy Media Group, a political consulting and advertising firm which has assisted numerous political candidates in fulfilling their dreams of helping to govern Las Vegas, Clark County, the State of Nevada, and even in the United States Congress.
Archival Collection
The Barbara Tabach Papers (1978-2022) mainly contain project files kept by oral historian Barbara Tabach throughout her experiences managing different oral history community documentation projects for the Oral History Research Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from 2010 to 2022. Oral history projects represented in this collection include
Archival Collection
The Opus Dance Ensemble of Las Vegas Collection (1988-1996) contains the newsletters and bi-annual concert programs for the Las Vegas, Nevada nonprofit dance organzation. The organization was comprised of dancers and choreographers from various leading Las Vegas production shows, and held bi-annual performances at the Tropicana Hotel.
Archival Collection
The Summa Corporation Summerlin Development Presentation Materials (approximately 1990-1999) consist of presentation slides and architectural and landscape renderings for developing the Las Vegas, Nevada community of Summerlin.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Verlean Whitley conducted by Jasmine Smith on November 26, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Whitley talks about her parents and upbringing in Arkansas and traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada by bus in her late teens to live with relatives. She continues discussing her marriage and work, her church and community activities, and efforts to encourage voting in the late 1960s. She also mentions her involvement with the NAACP, her concerns about the closure of F Street in 2008 and her hopes for the revitalization of the Westside community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jinetta Daniels conducted by Rani Dunn on November 30, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Daniels talks about her upbringing in Mississippi and traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada by bus in 1962. She continues discussing her work as a maid at the Dunes Hotel, her membership in the Victory Baptist Church, and comments on various church and community leaders in the Westside. She also mentions her concerns about the closure of F Street in 2008 and her hopes for the revitalization of the Westside community.
Archival Collection