Oral history interview with Emma Oliver conducted by Jan Marshall on March 19, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Oliver discusses her personal history and the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Oliver discusses how Las Vegas has changed, casinos in Las Vegas, the Mormon Church, and the race riots at a shopping center in North Las Vegas in 1968. Oliver also discusses race relations between white and African American children in schools.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jay Duarte conducted by David Schwartz on January 27, 2017 for the Slot Operations Oral History Project. Duarte gives a description of the various positions and roles he has held in Station Casinos and other properties on the Las Vegas, Nevada Strip. Duarte then explains how the slot department works with other casino departments, and later describes the qualities that make both good and bad slot managers.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Marilyn Martin conducted by Irene Rostine on October 09, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN). Martin opens her interview by discussing moving to Nevada in 1963 with her husband and two small children. Martin describes her career with the Southern Nevada Telephone company as a customer service representative. Martin compares the requirements to work for the phone company in New York state with the lesser requirements of Nevada. Martin goes on to discuss her training, salary, and her overall experiences at the telephone company.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Miguel Villarba conducted by David Islas on December 6, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
In this interview, Miguel Villarba shares his family's history growing up in Manila, Philippines and immigrating to the United States in 2016. He talks about first living in Chattanooga, Tennessee before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to be near family when Miguel was in high school. Miguel Villarba shares stories of his grandfather's farm in Pangasinan, Philippines, the differences in city and town life across Manila, Chattanooga, and Las Vegas, and his educational plans. He also talks about Filipino culture and traditions, and racial discrimination.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sandra Gray conducted by Elsa Lopez and Barbara Tabach on December 13, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Gray discusses her family history, and describes how her parents are immigrants from Durango, Mexico and moved from East Los Angeles, California to East Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991. After getting her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) she started a behavioral health agency that provided rehabilitative mental health services to children primarily in the foster care system. She went on to earn a master's degree in mental health counseling, a master's in psychology, and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. She is the founder of Empower LV, which strives for equitable access to sports and tutoring. Dr. Sandra Gray is also the owner and operator of Innovation Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Micheal Miller conducted by Broderick T. Ackerman on April 05, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Miller discusses arriving to Ely, Nevada in the 1920s and later moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in the late 1920s. Miller then discusses the businesses that he invested in and other properties that he purchased throughout his lifetime. Miller speaks about his time working on ranches and as a trapper in Northern Nevada. He also speaks about his time running nightclubs in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as seeing much growth throughout his time living in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Loreta Monson conducted by Jon J. Howard on March 01, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Monson discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada from Utah for her husband's job. Monson also discusses the growth of Las Vegas over the years. She talks specifically about hotels and casinos. Finally, Monson briefly describes her family life.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Miriam Belmont conducted by Laurie Brower on March 08, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. During the interview Belmont discusses her move to Las Vegas, Nevada, various occupations, education, addresses, church involvement, Hoover Dam, famous people, atomic testing, Old Ranch Country Club in Southern California, and the ways in which Las Vegas had changed since she first arrived.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with John Edmond conducted by Claytee D. White on February 19 and 25, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Edmond discusses his family history in Tallulah, Louisiana and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada before Basic Magnesium, Inc. drew many African Americans to the region. He recalls working as a young boy at the local bowling alley and later attending college in Seattle, Washington. After college, Edmond returned to Las Vegas and became the first Black baccarat dealer at the Stardust Hotel working for Frank Rosenthal. He discusses later owning the largest shopping center in the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Patsy Leavitt conducted by Elizabeth Neumann on March 17, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Leavitt discusses her maternal grandmother, who brought her mother and uncle to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1931, and explains how her grandmother opened a boardinghouse that she ran until her death in 1948. She then discusses her father's family, who arrived in Las Vegas in the late 1920s and established a sand and gravel business. She discusses her education and marriage, and reflects on Las Vegas in the 1950s.
Archival Collection