Connie Hill Sheldon and her identical twin, Billie, also were members of Rancho High School 's first graduating class of 1962. Connie and Billie were born in 1944 in Oklahoma and spent their early years in southern California before moving to Las Vegas in 1956 with their mother, brother, and stepfather, Gerald Elmore. In Las Vegas Connie and her siblings attended Sunrise Acres Elementary School before going to Rancho, and the family was active with Homesite Baptist Church. While she was at Rancho Connie worked at the Huntridge Theater, and she continued working there after she graduated. In 1968 Connie married fellow Rancho '62 classmate Clyde Sheldon in Goldfield, Nevada. At the time of their marriage Clyde was an active-duty Marine. Over the course of his twenty-year USMC career the Sheldons lived in several places, but following his 1983 retirement they returned to Las Vegas and then moved to Pahrump. In this interview Connie particularly focuses on military life in New Yo

Multicultural advancements in Las Vegas cannot be mentioned without speaking on the monumental contributions of Dorothy Eisenberg. From 1971 to 1998, she was involved with over 25 local organizations and committees and had the honor of having an elementary school named after her. Eisenberg’s beginnings start in the midst of the all American melting pot experience though immigration. Her mother came to the United States from Russia at age twelve and her father from Austria at age sixteen to go upholstery school. Upon marriage, they settled down in Philadelphia after the World War II. They raised Dorothy and her siblings to contribute to the community despite the anti-Semitism that was displayed there on a regular basis. Signs that said, “No dogs and Jews allowed” were common place. After her first husband died, leaving her as a single mother of four little girls, she didn’t allow herself to be trampled by her circumstances by enrolling in Temple University to be a teacher at a time when the university had stigma towards older students. Upon her marriage to her second husband, the family moved to Las Vegas where she found a spiritual home for her family at Temple Beth Sholom, where her children went learned to deeply appreciate their Jewish heritage and attended Hebrew school. Having always been involved with politics in Philadelphia, she faced personal discrimination due to her religion when she was searching for organizations to involve her time. She eventually found a home with the League of Women Voters in 1965 and became involved with the Observers Corp and became aware of what was going on with the African American community from community based research and dialogue. She played a key role as president of the organization and faced heat for her involvement in the desegregation of sixth grade centers with the Kelly vs. Guinn decision in 1972 and was involved with the Welfare Rights Movement. She met Ruby Duncan and Jane Fonda, and she even showed up to the march with her daughters. Eisenberg was heavily involved with her namesake school through meetings with principals at least once a year, reading to students in the classroom, and bringing latkes to the school on Hanukkah. She continues the intergenerational legacy of educational involvement set forth by her parents with supporting her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in the school as well. Dorothy Eisenberg is a true role model for Nevada and a pioneer for equal education in Las Vegas.

Tony was born the only son of the only son in Beloit, Wisconsin. Following his parents divorce when he was 12, he and his father went to live with his grandparents who, he admits, spoiled him. While neither of his parents played a musical instrument, Tony’s grandmother was a professional organist. In addition, Tony had an uncle who was a professional saxophone player and who was an inspiration to him. Tony’s dad was very supportive of his decision to learn trumpet and rented Tony an instrument, took him to his lessens, and sat with him while he practiced. Tony was firm in his convictions by the 9th grade that he was going to be a musician. Following high school, Tony was awarded a full scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston which was a very prestigious music school. Tony repeatedly left school to go on the road which the school fully expected of their students. The last time he left the school he never went back. Tony states he got his degree on the road with experience from playing in bands like Stan Kenton, Tommy Dorsey, and with his idol Harry James. Tony took his career abroad when he took up residence in Cologne, Germany to play with a band there. Tony came to Las Vegas to play in a band with Buddy Rich which turned out to be of a shorter duration than he expected. Tony then played in Las Vegas and Reno for a time before going back on the road after realizing he preferred playing jazz on the road as opposed to playing in show bands. After eight years on the road, Tony returned to Las Vegas, got married, and settled down. Aptitude tests proved accurate when they showed Tony had a talent for things mechanical and metal as Tony went on to manufacture trumpets in addition to playing them. One can feel the love Tony has for his trumpets as he describes the process of creating them. After playing trumpet for almost 30 years, Tony decided it was time to concentrate on his photography for a while. Tony does not consider himself retired, but rather he likes to play, take pictures, and, of course, he practices the trumpet every day.

Oral history interview with Junior Fonotisatele conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on November 10, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Junior discusses his Samoan background and the importance of strong family values. He talks about his early years in Utah and California before moving to Las Vegas where he attended and graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Junior shares his employment history as a bodyguard for Floyd Mayweather, an entrepreneur of a clothing brand, and an investor into a range of ventures including security, solar energy, and mental health. He concludes with a discussion of Samoan cultural celebrations, his religion, and the significance of his tattoos.

Oral history interview with Kevin Chung conducted by Cecelia Winchell, Stefani Evans, and Jerwin Tiu on December 18, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Kevin Chung discusses his upbringing in Southern Vietnam and how he and his family were forced to leave the country during the Vietnam War. Chung talks about his family's migration to Minnesota and how they adapted to American culture. He shares his educational background, his professional pursuits as a teacher, and the reasons he and his wife decided to move to Las Vegas. Chung reflects on the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) in education with an emphasis on the arts and shares his teaching philosophy. He also gives details of his family's lives and talks about the importance of bringing together his Vietnamese and American cultures to connect the different generations of his family.

On March 5, 1981, Mike Martinez interviewed Laura Gunning (born 1923 in Los Angeles, California) about her life in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gunning first talks about her family background, her church membership, education, and the minimum wage. She also talks about the Las Vegas Strip, the first businesses and markets in Las Vegas, change in climate, and family trips.

On March 17, 1977, collector Cecilia Branch interviewed LeMoyne Legere (born in 1935) at her residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this interview, Mrs. Legere discusses various differences in Las Vegas from the time she was growing up to the date of the interview. She also discusses her involvement in high school and what people do for recreation.

In 1939, Wilma (Frank) Bass was born in New York City, where she began her involvement in theater at the age of ten. Almost twenty years later, she met Burt Bass (1932- ) when both worked for a photography studio, one of Burt first post-high school jobs. Burt opened his first professional photography studio in 1962, shortly after he married Wilma in 1960. The couple soon had two daughters – Jill and Wendy – and moved to Las Vegas in 1974. Burt initially worked for his brother-in-law Ed Frank's check cashing businesses and later opened his own photography business, Burton Studio. He later added services such as fingerprinting, background checks, and photographs for identification cards. Wilma worked as a jewelry salesperson, first at the Gold Factory then at Nieman Marcus. Socially, she was very involved with Temple Beth Sholom’s Sisterhood, using her theater talents to write, direct and produce various shows for the Sisterhood, ORT as well as B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. In this interview, Burt discusses his photography business, the migration of its storefront around town, and his colorful landlords, including individuals like Moe Dalitz and Art Marshall. Wilma talks about her sales career in the local jewelry industry, and more extensively, she shares memories of her involvement in the Jewish community with theater productions. Much of the discussion revolved around related news articles and personal photos from their relationships and activities within the Jewish community. The couple also shares stories of friendships with local entertainers, including Jerry Lewis and Neil Sedaka.

Oral history interview with Rodrigo Vazquez conducted by Nathalie Martinez and Barbara Tabach on May 24, 2021 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Rodrigo was raised in a mixed status Mexican family. He was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of three, later becoming a citizen when he was in the 8th grade. Rodrigo is currently a graduate student worker for the Latinx Voices Oral History Project and reflects on what he has learned. He also discusses what the past year of the Coronavirus pandemic has been like for him. Subjects discussed include: Latinx and Mexican identities, COVID-19 era, and Latinx Voices Project oral historian.

Interviewed by Maribel Estrada Calderón. Claytee White also participates in the questioning. Eddie Escobedo was born in 1961 and two years later, he and his family immigrated to the United States. He fondly remembers his father, Edmundo Escobedo. Escobedo is currently in charge of the newspaper that his father started, El Mundo Newspaper.

On March 17, 1981, Niki Rodriguez interviewed Kathleen Bryan Gaston (born 1949 in Las Vegas, Nevada) about her experience living in Southern Nevada. Gaston first talks about her father who moved to Las Vegas and eventually became a justice of the peace, and she also describes how her parents eventually moved to Las Vegas. Gaston later describes how Las Vegas looked as she was growing up and how it has developed since, specifically mentioning the schools she attended and the growth of the Las Vegas Strip.

During this interview, Michael Mack visualizes his childhood memories of the later 1930s, when Las Vegas was a small, but steadily growing, desert town. As he says, "The desert was our backyard." The Strip hotels like the last Frontier and the Flamingo pop into the stories, but it was basically an innocent time. He attended John S. Park Elementary when classrooms were temporary buildings from the local Air Force base and the neighborhood was filled with children. He still maintains close friendships from that time. And he also recalls friends from the Westside neighborhood. Michael talks of scouting, riding horses, and watching Helldorado parades.

Michael Mack's first recollection of Las Vegas is as a two-year-old living in a duplex on Bonneville Ave. Though the family moved several times, they remained in or near the John S. Park neighborhood. Michael's father was a Polish immigrant who arrived in Boulder City, where he opened a shoe store, in 1932. The building of the Hoover Dam brought opportunities and his father Louis expanded into the salvage business. In time Louis moved the family to Las Vegas, opened a retail clothing store, which eventually sold uniforms, and set up the first local bail bondman office. During this interview, Michael visualizes his childhood memories of the later 1930s, when Las Vegas was a small, but steadily growing, desert town. As he says, "The desert was our backyard." The Strip hotels like the last Frontier and the Flamingo pop into the stories, but it was basically an innocent time. He attended John S. Park Elementary when classrooms were temporary buildings from the local Air Force base and the neighborhood was filled with children. He still maintains close friendships from that time. And he also recalls friends from the Westside neighborhood. Michael talks of scouting, riding horses, and watching Helldorado parades. Though the Macks were a Jewish family, Michael's mother always brought the Christmas tree to school. It was a period when people memorized each other's 3-digit phone numbers, went to movies for 14 cents, and there was a ranch for people to stay while getting divorced. Halloween Trick-or-treaters in the John S. Park neighborhood might get a tasty cupcake or a shiny dime. Michael has a plethora of stories about innocent mischief and the unique experiences of a boy growing up in Las Vegas.