Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Gwendolyn K. Walker arrived in North Las Vegas in 1962 from Houston, Texas, as a five-year-old with her parents, two brothers, and her cousins. The Walker family at first moved to a rented house on D Street, and Gwen attended Kit Carson Elementary School for first grade. Her mother enrolled in nursing school, so she sent Gwen back to Delhi, Louisiana, to be raised by her grandmother. In Delhi Gwen picked cotton with her aunt while she was in the second grade. Gwen returned to North Las Vegas to live with her mother and complete elementary school at Jo Mackey before matriculating to J. D. Smith Elementary School for junior high school and then to Clark High School. Later she attended UNLV. Gwen and her mother joined Saint James Catholic Church at H Street and Washington Avenue, but after she returned from Delhi she joined Second Baptist Church, where she became close with a cohort of friends that remained strong even as she experienced racism and bullying and love for the first time.
Text
The Nevada locations series (approximately 1978-1989) contains images taken by Bob Paluzzi of the Las Vegas, Nevada area and a number taken around Reno and Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Paluzzi photographed many sporting events held at the Caesars Palace, including boxing matches, annual Alan King Tennis Classic tournaments, and Grand Prix races. This series includes images featuring social gatherings and events, like major conventions, unions, the United States Airforce Thunderbirds, and various car clubs. Paluzzi also captured many University of Nevada, Las Vegas football and basketball games, as well as the Las Vegas Stars baseball team. Included in this series are photographs of the Las Vegas Strip and the Fremont Street area during the late-1970s and mid-1980s. There are also a number of images of desert landscapes and natural environments around the Las Vegas Valley.
Archival Component
The Locations outside Nevada series (1978-2005) contains images of events and locations throughout the United States and abroad. The majority of the images were taken within the United States and consist primarily of panoramic views of major cities and natural landscapes. Examples of some of the many cities Paluzzi captured include San Francisco, California; San Diego, California; Aspen, Colorado; Honolulu, Hawaii; Chicago, Illinois; Kansas City, Missouri; New York City, New York; and Washington D.C. Famous national landmarks and memorials found in these cities include The White House, United States Capitol, and Vietnam War Memorial. Natural landscape images also vary wildly and feature well-known locations such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, Death Valley, and The Great Smoky Mountains. Paluzzi also photographed many events and gatherings, such as balloon festivals, intertribal Native American ceremonies, world's fairs, and conventions. Additionally, major sporting events like National Football League (NFL) Super Bowls, World Series baseball games, Kentucky derbys, and automobile races are included. The remainder of the series consists of images taken abroad and include England, France, Belgium, and Canada. These images depict scenic views of major cities and famous landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, Versailles Palace, and the Brussels Grand Palace. A large gathering to see Pope John Paul II at the Sanctuaires Notre-Dame de Lourdes is also featured.
Archival Component