Oral history interview with Maria Raquél Casas conducted by Maribel Estrada Calderón and Rodrigo Vasquez on June 12, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Casas discusses growing up in Farmersville, California and her family’s involvement with the Bracero program. She talks about her experiences working on farms and how that influenced her desire for an education. Casas describes attending Fresno State, Cornell University, and University of California Santa Barbara. She then discusses being the only Chicana in graduate school, her dissertation centered on interethnic marriages, and the issue of colorism in her Latino community. Later, Casas talks about her employment with the history department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and what she believes her role as a Latina historian is. Lastly, Casas describes her role as a Latina professor at UNLV, serving as an advisor for MEChA and Student Organization of Latinos (SOL), and the increase of Latino representation at UNLV.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Donna Robinson conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 20, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Robinson begins by talking about her family and childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She talks about her family life and how she started working at the American Red Cross as a Disaster Program Specialist. Robinson describes her first disaster situation she worked through, later disaster situations, and the different training that is required in order to handle certain situations. Robinson then begins to talk about October 1, 2017, and how she tried to help as many people as possible that night. Then she talks about the long-term effects of the shooting and how it impacted the survivors and the community. She discusses the mental health aspect of the services Red Cross had and how it still continues to serve the community today.
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Oral history interviews with Sook-ja Kim conducted by Myoung-ja Lee Kwon on February 12, 1996 and April 06, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Kim begins her interview discussing her family's background in singing in Korea and she then transitions to her and her sisters' arrival to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1959. Kim discusses their Las Vegas act, singing rock 'n' roll tunes at the Thunderbird Hotel. Kim goes on to discuss her groups' big break, performing on the Ed Sullivan Show. Kim describes how this event ignited a successful touring period for the sisters and the eventual launching of another group, the Kim Brothers, comprised of Sook-ja Kim's brothers. Kim ends the interview discussing what challenges Koreans face when moving to America and important information she thinks future Korean immigrants should know or consider.
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Oral history interview with Alice Ward Boyer conducted by Joanne Goodwin on June 26, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Boyer opens her interview discussing her family and their life in Oklahoma from the 1910s to 1930s. Boyer then describes how she and her husband moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1937 to escape the dustbowl in the Midwest. She discusses adjusting to life in Las Vegas and what the city was like during wartime. She then talks about joining the Mesquite Club in 1944. Boyer explains the club's activities, many of which were integral to building the town of early Las Vegas, and prominent club members. Boyer describes the various roles she held in the club, including president from 1958 to 1959.
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Oral history interview with Inez and Edward Harper conducted by Claytee D. White on July 18, 1996 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, the Harpers talk first about their upbringing and education in Fordyce, Arkansas. Inez Harper explains how she came to Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of sixteen with her first husband in 1953; Edward Harper explains that he came two years later, working in construction until his marriage to his first wife and moving to Los Angeles, California in 1957. The couple met after his return to Las Vegas in 1960 and married in 1962. Together they discuss employment opportunities, income, the living conditions on the Westside and the entertainment venues on Jackson Street. They also remark on their perspective of race relations and discrimination in Las Vegas in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Oral history interview with Deryk and Melissa Engelland conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 23, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project.
Deryk Engelland is a professional hockey player and team spokesperson for the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. He and his wife, Melissa, discuss the events of the October 1 shooting and how the Golden Knights chose to honor the community that they were representing after this tragic event. Deryk and Melissa Engelland established the Vegas Born Foundation to honor first responders and community heroes, and the couple talks about the organization's accomplishments since its inception.
Subjects discussed include: Las Vegas healing.
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Oral history interview with Helen Mott Cecil conducted by Claytee D. White on April 24, 2007 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Helen Mott Cecil discusses growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada on the Westside, including seeing the Helldorado parades and Hoover (Boulder Dam). She also discusses working for Farmers Home Association and in the medical care and entertainment industry during the 1930s. She then discusses her divorce and other topics like the atomic bomb testing, the bus system, and downtown Las Vegas.
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Oral history interview with Cynthia "Cindy" Coletti conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee White on October 27, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Coletti talks about arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada as a single mother in 1989 and building more than 150 custom homes, mostly in the upscale communities, including Celine Dion’s Lake Las Vegas mansion. She also discusses the previous custom homes she built in Florida, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Coletti's husband, David Fordham, discusses his background, moving to Las Vegas, working in commercial real estate, and meeting Cindy.
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Oral history interview with Marsha Lamb Bingham conducted by Ted R. Murray on March 02, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. During the interview Bingham discusses school in Alamo, Nevada, general Nevada history, Warm Springs, Nevada Legislature, Fremont, gambling, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Bingham also discusses the growth of Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Rock and Roll scene, and President Kennedy’s Las Vegas visit.
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Oral history interview with Mabel and David Hoggard conducted by Perry Kaufman on February 23, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. David first discusses working at Nellis Air Force Base, how the armed forces weren’t segregated, and that segregation was not as big as it was outside of the base. David then explains the hostility between the civilian black community and the military black community. Mabel discusses education in West Las Vegas, Nevada, working with the American Red Cross, Teachers Local, and her membership with the National Education Association.
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