Oral history interviews with Lee Plotkin conducted by Dennis McBride on August 02, 10, and 16; and October 04, 2006 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. In these interviews, Plotkin talks about his reaction to Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Myron E. Leavitt's claim that attending the Nevada Gay Rodeo violated Nevada's sodomy laws in the early 1980s. Plotkin recalls his childhood, coming out during high school, his early involvement with the Las Vegas, Nevada gay community, and his memories of Lieutenant Governor Leavitt and Leavitt's family. Plotkin also discusses the development and activities of LGBTQ organizations and demonstrations, including Golden Rainbow and Gay Pride. Lastly, he talks about the repeal of Nevada's sodomy laws in 1993, the defeat of Nevada Citizens' Alliance's anti-gay initiative petition Minority Status and Child Protection Act of 1994, and the growth of the Las Vegas LGBTQ community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Judy Smith conducted by Suzanne Becker on November 22, 2008 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Oral History Project. Smith discusses moving from Barstow, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. She also discusses working as the assistant society editor for the Las Vegas Sun, graduating from the University of Nevada Reno, and moving back to Las Vegas with her husband and children to live in the John S. Park Neighborhood in 1967.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Ashley Hall conducted by Claytee D. White on September 2, 2015 and September 22, 2015 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Hall discusses being the city manager of Las Vegas, Nevada during the early portion of the development of Summerlin, Nevada by the Hughes Corporation. He also discusses his earlier life before politics, pertaining to Nevada Trench Safety.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Danel Boone conducted by Daniel Pope on February 22, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. During this interview Boone discusses why he came to Las Vegas, Nevada, the Helldorado parade, church activity, and the weather. Boone also discusses city parks, Boy Scouts, schools, above ground atomic tests, local history of Southern Nevada, and the ways in which Las Vegas has changed over the years.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Barr Smith conducted by Melvin Smail on February 22, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Smith discusses his personal history and the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Smith discusses working at the Basic Magnesium plant, playing high stakes poker games with prominent gamblers like "Nick the Greek," and the casinos built on the early Las Vegas Strip. Smith also describes how Las Vegas has changed, the different forms of gambling and gaming available in the city, and life in 1940s Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard Schlegel conducted by Dennis McBride on June 03, 2006 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Schlegel discusses his involvement with Equal Rights Nevada (ERN) and the petition to amend the Nevada Constitution that prevented same-sex marriages in the early 2000s. He talks about the approach that ERN took to campaign against the petition and the role that the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage had at the time. Schlegel then describes the Marriage Protection Pledge, his experiences managing a campaign supporting marriage rights for gay couples, and explains how the outcome of the petition affected the Las Vegas, Nevada gay community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Amilcar “Ace” Daniels conducted by Rodrigo Vazquez and Monserrath Hernández on June 15, 2019 and June 22, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In the first interview, Daniels discusses growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada and shares his parents' emigration story from the Dominican Republic to the United States in the early 1980s. He talks about attending the College of Southern Nevada (CSN), the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Later, Daniels speaks on his career in hospitality, his passion for live theater, and his advocacy for the performing arts in Las Vegas. He talks about being a minority person in the hospitality industry, the importance of maintaining his cultural identity, and Latino representation in theater. In the second interview, Daniels discusses his involvement with the non-profit arts organization Super Summer Theatre, and participating in the Las Vegas Pride Festival. Lastly, Daniels talks about issues of colorism in the Latinx community.
Archival Collection
Ground squirrel at Gay Pride at Sunset Park, 1999. Photographer: Dennis McBride. (5-8-99).
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Oral history interview with Wes Davis conducted by Dennis McBride on July 13, 2008 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Davis discusses the AIDS epidemic in the United States in 1981 and the effect it had on the gay community. Davis then talks about Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) in 1984, Golden Rainbow in 1986, and the Nevada Aids Project in 1987, and describes their efforts to deal with the disease. Lastly, he describes the implementation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and explains why people were afraid to find out if they were positive for the disease.
Archival Collection
Gay Pride 1999 at Sunset Park; Photographer: Dennis McBride. Keys Lounge.
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