Oral history interview with Katherine McKee conducted by Claytee D. White on September 3, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In her interview McKee discusses her career dancing at the Mint, The Silver Slipper's Minsky's Burlesque, and the Dune's Viva Les Girls. She also discusses her performances on the road with Les Girls Montreal road show as well and her experience as Sammy Davis' "road wife."
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Barbara Cole conducted by Claytee D. White on June 29, 2005 for the the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Barbara Cole talks about the history of African Americans in Las Vegas, Nevada previous to the 1950s. She discusses her early childhood and her large family, as well as the family's contributions to the community. Barbara shares her thoughts on the race relations in Las Vegas throughout her life and details some of her own personal experiences with it. She also shares her knowledge of the foundation of Las Vegas' Westside.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nadine Connor and Harriet Watson conducted by Claytee D. White on May 29, 2018 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Connor and Watson discuss their early lives and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. They talk about African American women’s civil and social work, and the establishment of Charms, Inc. Watson describes founding the Las Vegas chapter of Charms, Inc. and organizing activities to feed the hungry, assist homeless youth, and funding for higher education. Lastly, Connor and Watson discuss the homelessness issue in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Morse Arberry conducted by Brittany Thompson and Andrew Thomas on November 20, 2015 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Arberry discusses his personal history and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. He talks about his father's employment at the Nevada Test Site and the issues of segregation at the time. Arberry recalls attending the Westside School and talks about school integration. He then describes his career in legislation, working on bills to improve the integration process, and the impact that the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) had on the level of education among adults in the community. Lastly, Arberry discusses the West Las Vegas community, the significance that religion had on African Americans, and the increase of law enforcement in the area.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with James H. Rainey, Sr. and Veronica Ross conducted by Claytee D. White on March 12, 2012 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. James H. Rainey, Sr. discusses his summers working in Las Vegas, Nevada before moving from Arkansas in 1961, as well as his work at the Nevada Test Site. Veronica Ross, his niece, talks of moving to Las Vegas in 1965 and her experiences growing up. Details are given on their recent family history as well as the budding African American community and lifestyles during the 1960s and 1970s in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Part of an interview with Barbara Kirkland by Claytee White on November 12, 2004. Kirkland discusses the growth of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority since 1960 and the different projects and scholarships they have worked on throughout the years.
Sound
Oral history interview with Clarence Gilyard conducted by Barbara Paige on December 02, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Gilyard begins the interview by discussing his upbringing on United States Air Force bases, his father's career as an Airman, and the advantages he had attending Air Force schools as a child as opposed to attending public schools, where he may have faced discrimination as an African American. He describes his higher education, playing college football, and later pursuing a career in acting after becoming involved in local theatre while attending college at California State University, Long Beach. Gilyard continues, detailing how he gained more acting work and eventually acted alongside actors like Jim Carrey, Andy Griffith, and Chuck Norris, as well as starred in film and television series such as Top Gun, Die Hard, Matlock, and Walker, Texas Ranger. He concludes by discussing his career as an acting teacher and continuing his own education.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Barbara Bates Kirkland conducted by Claytee D. White on November 12, 2004 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Kirkland discusses working at the Westside School with Mabel Hoggard and co-founding the La Femme Douze.
Archival Collection
Growing up in the Westside community, worked in the Sight N Sound Record Store. Brown spoke of entertainers in the neighborhood and their influence on community children. Second portion of interview filmed at PBS.
Text
Oral history interview with Faye Duncan Daniel conducted by Claytee White on October 18, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. In this interview, Daniel discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965. Daniel discusses living in Vegas Heights and her interactions with the local African American community. Daniel discusses her various jobs including a brief time as a police officer. Later Daniel discusses leaving Las Vegas to obtain her college education and her eventual return, to work as one of the first African American women in management in the Las Vegas hotel industry. Daniel also discusses her experiences with racism and gender discrimination.
Archival Collection