Oral history interview with Dan McKenzie conducted by Connie Degerness on February 12, 1975 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. In this very short interview, McKenzie explains why he came to Nevada from Arizona, finding work on the Hoover Dam construction in April 1930, and then lists all of his subsequent work in maintenance and mechanics during the dam's construction.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Arturo Amaya conducted by Laurents Banuleos-Benitez, Barbara Tabach and Genoveva Yuli Amaya on December 05, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Arturo Amaya discusses his early life in Peru, sharing stories of his family history and early life. He recalls his education and law school in Peru, as well as his legal career. Amaya was elected into to district attorney, and he discusses his experiences working in the criminal justice field in Peru. After visiting his brother in Las Vegas, Nevada, Amaya decided to immigrate with his family to Las Vegas in 2003. In Las Vegas, Amaya is a painter by trade, but was instrumental in establishing the Peruvian Association in Las Vegas. Genoveva Yuli Amaya also participates in the interview. Genoveva shares more of the Amaya family history from her point of view. She also shares her knowledge of Peruvian cultural traditions.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Maude Woo conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 11, 2007 and February 25, 2007 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In these interviews, Woo discusses her early childhood in Korea, taking care of her siblings, and difficult memories of war. Later, she discusses travelling to the United States and having foster parents, and going to college for nursing. She married her first husband and they had two sons, David and John. The family moved to Orange County, California where Maude raised the family and eventually started a private practice. Later, Woo divorced her first husband. She married her current husband, Leland, in 2011. She discusses her family, the importance religion has in her life, and coming to Las Vegas, Nevada to retire. Digital audio and photographs available; digital transcript draft available.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview Betty Pavlikowski conducted by Roy Mankins in the 1970s for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Pavlikowski discusses her position on the board of directors for a social club in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pavlikowski details the creation and daily operations of the club.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Theda Grinnell conducted by Fletcher Corey on February 28, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Grinnell first talks about her move to Nevada and both her and her husband’s employment at the Nevada Test Site. She also talks about the atomic testing blasts, the United States' competition with Russia on nuclear technology, and her employment history. Grinnell later discusses her church membership and goes into detail about the race riots and how they involved and impacted her family. She ends the interview with a discussion of flash floods, the Culinary Workers Union, how World War II affected industry in Las Vegas industry, and the social changes in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Verna Chadwick conducted by Keri Wright on February 24, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Chadwick first talks about her early life in Utah, and some of the activities in which she took part when first arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada. She then talks about her involvement in Cub Scouts, her church membership, political involvement, recreational activities, atomic testing, the first stores, casinos, and Las Vegas utilities during the 1950s, particularly water. The interview finalized with a discussion on social changes and the changes in prices of goods over the years.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard Ham conducted by Dennis McBride on January 18, 2002 for the Las Vegas Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Ham discusses the assault of Nevada Supreme Court Justice Frank McNamee in 1965. Ham describes being accused by McNamee of being a communist, McNamee's sexuality, and how McNamee was able to succeed politically despite being a gay man. He continues, discussing the history of the trial following McNamee's assault, and also describes other aspects of Nevada's political history during that time. Ham concludes by discussing being gay and some of his sexual experiences with men.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lena Brass conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on January 17, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Brass discusses her upbringing in Winsboro, Louisiana and describes living during segregation. She recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1975 with her husband, her employment at Nevada State Bank, and participating in the Martin Luther King parade. Brass then talks about the advancement of banking technology, the utilization of computers, and her experience as an African American bank manager. Later, Brass talks of her mentors, her faith, and the economic downturn of Jackson Street businesses in the Westside. Lastly, Brass discusses the future of the African American community in Las Vegas, the Westside, and business networking with the church community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Monteria Hightower conducted by Claytee D. White on February 28, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Hightower discusses her career as a librarian who has worked across the United States. She begins by talking about her upbringing in Texas and the multiple universities she has attended to study library science. Hightower describes her experiences with racial discrimination as an African American woman and how racism affected her personal and professional life. Hightower also discusses her time as the Nevada State Librarian from 1998 to 2001 and living in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with James Deacon conducted by Elizabeth Warren on August 28, 2008 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Deacon discusses his ichthyological and environmental research around the geological formation of Devils Hole in Nevada, where he studied the Devils Hole pupfish. Deacon also describes other species of fish he studied in several different bodies of water in Nevada and his experiences over the course of those studies. He talks about how they measured population size of different fish, how species interacted with each other and responded to environmental changes, and performing ichthyological research for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Archival Collection