Oral history interview with Gertrude Rudiak conducted by Claytee White on January 11th, 2007 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Gertrude Rudiak was a local civil rights pioneer, wife of George Rudiak, and has lived in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1943. She raised her five children in Las Vegas and was active in the Jewish community. In her interview Rudiak discusses Jewish life and culture in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Rodrigo Vazquez conducted by Nathalie Martinez and Barbara Tabach on May 24, 2021 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project.
Rodrigo was raised in a mixed status Mexican family. He was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of three, later becoming a citizen when he was in the 8th grade. Rodrigo is currently a graduate student worker for the Latinx Voices Oral History Project and reflects on what he has learned. He also discusses what the past year of the Coronavirus pandemic has been like for him.
Subjects discussed include: Latinx and Mexican identities, COVID-19 era, and Latinx Voices Project oral historian
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Warren V. Turner conducted by Arnol D. Wilks on March 10, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Turner discusses arriving to Boulder City, Nevada in 1948 while working for the Bureau of Reclamation. Turner recalls aboveground testing of atomic weapons at the Nevada Test Site and describes the magnitude of the blasts. Turner also describes the development of Las Vegas, Nevada, specifically the growth in population, casinos, and hotels. Turner later discusses the natural environment surrounding the Las Vegas valley.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Raymond Roberts conducted by his wife, Genevieve Roberts, on March 13, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Roberts describes his career as a musician and as a draftsman. As a draftsman, Roberts designed schools and houses for architect Julius Gabriel. Roberts also helped design road improvements and community buildings for Clark County, Nevada as a civil engineer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mahlon Brown conducted by Claytee D. White on December 16, 2003 and January 13, 2004 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Brown discusses his career as a policeman in Washington, D.C., during the 1960s, an attorney in Las Vegas, Nevada along with Jack Anderson in the Las Vegas Welfare Rights Movement, and as a Justice of the Peace.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dr. Claude N. Warren conducted by Claytee D. White on March 1, 2007 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview, Warren discusses his early life in Washington state and some of the hardships his family encountered. Warren then talks about the city of Seattle, Washington and he expresses his general admiration for the western United States. He speaks about his time as a graduate student and working at University of California, Los Angeles. He then explains the different types of archaeology, including cultural resource management and academic archaeology. Warren then describes his career path, different academic positions he was offered, and his time as a professor in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Anthropology Department. Lastly, Warren briefly discusses UNLV past presidents Zoran and Maxson and his thoughts about the future of the university.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard D. Chase conducted by Helen Rondthaler on October 17, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Chase discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada from 1945, touching on topics such as the housing shortage during the 1940s, The Red Rooster swingers’ club, Billy Moore, Sam Larson, Ira Goldring, atomic bomb testing, and the Nevada environment. Chase discusses the importance of construction-based labor to the development of Southern Nevada. Chase also explains at length the impact of the Nevada Test Site on his construction company.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Beverly Mason conducted by Claytee D. White on December 21, 2012 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview Beverly Mason discusses growing up in historical West Las Vegas, Nevada, being a part of the school integration movement of the 1970s, working at the Nevada Test Site as an industrial hygienist, and then working in the School Community Partnership Office as a program manager.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Frank Fahrenkopf conducted by Tony Batt on October 14 through 21, 2024 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Fahrenkopf begins by recalling his childhood in New York and later moving to Nevada with his father and sister. Following graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno, Fahrenkopf earned a law degree from the University of California in Berkeley. Fahrenkopf details his career as a lawyer, being chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, and his close relationship with Paul Laxalt, and his appointment as chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1983 by Laxalt’s best friend, President Ronald Reagan. He also details how he created the American Gaming Association.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sonny Reizner conducted by Jack Painter on an unknown date between 1970 and 1985 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Reizner discusses his time working at the sports book for Castaways Hotel and Casino Bowling in Las Vegas, Nevada. Reizner goes into detail about writing and managing the sports books. Later, Reizner talks about sports betting, the process, and its growth. Finally, Reizner describes the culture of sports betting and the logistics of how to succeed in the field.
Archival Collection