Oral history interview with Martin Lopez-Castillo conducted by Nathalie Martinez, Elsa Lopez, and Barbara Tabach on January 11, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Martin Lopez Castillo was born in a small town in the State of Mexico. He immigrated to Phoenix, Arizona in the early '90s where he worked in construction and landscaping. Eventually, he made his way to Colorado where he began working as a cook. He moved to Las Vegas with his family in the early 2000s where he arrived in Las Vegas’ Downtown. He worked in the mine by Primm, Nevada before becoming a gardener. His work has allowed him to see the changes that have happened in Southern Nevada, and he recounts the changes that have happened in Downtown Las Vegas since the 2008 recession. He is a self-taught English speaker and an avid chess collector. Subjects discussed include: Immigration, Chess, Landscaping, Teaching, and Downtown Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Mayra Salinas-Menjivar conducted by Nathalie Martinez, Elsa Lopez, and Barbara Tabach on September 20, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Mayra Salinas-Menjivar is a lawyer in Southern Nevada and a graduate of William S. Boyd School of Law. She grew up in Las Vegas but describes her early years living with her maternal grandparents in El Salvador. She describes some of the aftermath she experienced regarding the Civil War in El Salvador, and recounts some testimony told to her by her mother about that particular time period. She details the differences in immigrating in the 1990s and speaks about being an undocumented student. While pursuing a business degree at UNLV she found herself working at a law firm which is where she first decided to pursue law as a career after graduation. She talks about her experiences during law school and her time helping with the law school’s immigration clinic. Subjects discussed include: Salvadorian Civil War, Immigration Law, Education, DACA, William S. Boyd Law School.
Oral history interview with Stavan Corbett conducted by Nathalie Martinez on November 5, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Barbara Tabach and Rodrigo Vazquez also participate in the questioning. Stavan Corbett is a member of the Latino community who has served as an educator and politician in Las Vegas. Growing up in Las Vegas, Stavan was exposed to various environments that all helped him shape his Latino identity. Stavan was able to appreciate the Catholic and Jewish cultures as well. During the 1970s and '80s his experiences with first and second generation Latinos played a large role in his identity formation, especially as a student. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school and college. Stavan worked in the hotel industry and moved on to work with troubled youth and eventually become a member of the Nevada State Board and the Clark County School Board. His continued work with the Latin Chamber of Commerce has also allowed him to be involved with the Latino Youth Leadership Conference. Subjects discussed include: Identity Struggle, Interracial Relationships, Working in the Hotel Industry, Clark County School District, and Cultural Assimilation.
Oral history interview with Kelly Benavidez conducted by Maribel Estrada Calderón on January 29, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez also participates in the questioning. Kelly Benavidez is originally from San Francisco, California. Benavidez arrived in Las Vegas after her family spent two years in Mexico so her and her brother could learn Spanish. Benavidez and her family have remained in Las Vegas ever since. Kelly attended Area Technical Trade School for hotel management, and was then recruited by Mesa State College in Colorado. She currently works for Commissioner Lawrence Weekly. Her list of community involvement is extensive: Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Board, the Fernando Vargas Foundation, Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, Hispanics in Politics, Latina Network, among others. Subjects discussed include: Las Vegas, Commissioner Weekly, New York New York construction accident, and Spanish Language.
The Northern Nevada Neon Photograph Collection (1913-2010) is comprised of photographs of neon signs located mainly in northern Nevada cities and towns, including Elko, Ely, Carson City, Hawthorne, Reno, and Winnemucca. The collection consists of both digitized and born-digital photographs from multiple institutions and were gathered as part of a joint grant project.
The Pacifica Hotel Collection (1981-1985) contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and contracts on the Pacifica Hotel, the first resort geared specifically towards the LGBTQIA+ community in Las Vegas, Nevada. The collection also includes one optical disc with a compilation of Las Vegas television news stories from the summer of 1985 about the Pacifica Hotel project.
Oral history interview with Stephen Schneider conducted by Stefani Evans on October 10, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Schneider discusses his early life and English education. He recalls arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1967, being an English teacher at Bishop Gorman High School, and his early interest in real estate. Schneider talks about obtaining his real estate license and forming Berkshire Hathaway Americana Group Realtors. Lastly, Schneider discusses Special Improvement Districts.
Oral history interviews with Michael Green conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 26, 2018 and April 04, 2018 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In the first interview, Green discusses his family background and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He talks about his Jewish ancestry and the significance of religious communities in Las Vegas. In the second interview, Green discusses the growth of the Jewish community in Las Vegas, and the history of the Jewish heritage in Southern Nevada.
Oral history interview with Andrew Jackson III conducted by Claytee D. White on September 26, 2000 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Jackson discusses his family background and his early life in Arkansas and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in the late 1940s. He remembers the Cotton Club on the Westside, entertainers performing on the Westside, and racial tensions in Las Vegas at the time. Jackson talks about being a casino dealer at the Moulin Rouge, its closure in 1955, and integration on the Las Vegas Strip. Lastly, Jackson discusses being the only African American dealer at a major Las Vegas hotel, and the switch from privately-owned casino properties to corporate ownership.
Oral history interview with Jack Binion conducted by David Schwartz on October 17, 2008 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Binion discusses his early life and growing up as the son of the gaming operator, Benny Binion. He talks about working with Joe Brown at the Horseshoe Casino, the opening of the Golden Nugget, and casino surveillance. Lastly, Binion describes downtown Las Vegas, Nevada during 1960s and its popularity at the time.