Town hall meeting for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project facilitated by Claytee D. White on May 11, 2013. In this town hall, White explains the mission and the purpose behind the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Attendees also speak, telling stories and histories of the African American people and communities in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Albert D. Washington conducted by Wendell West on February 25, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Washington discusses changes in Las Vegas, Nevada, specifically the increase in population. Washington then recalls the voting system, gambling, local businesses, and religious influences in Las Vegas.
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.
Text
Oral history interview with J.K. Houssels Sr. conducted by an unknown collector on November 12, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Houssels discusses his ownership of the Las Vegas Club casino on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1930s. Houssels also discusses other casino partnerships that he invested in, and the casino business.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Roosevelt Toston conducted by Claytee D. White on July 11, 2006 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Toston discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1950s and his various careers at the Test Site, Bell Telephone of Nevada, as a television anchorman and cameraman, and the Convention and Visitors Authority to bring conventions to Las Vegas. He also talks about ways African American entrepreneurs might get involved in the convention business.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Bertha Gresh conducted by Gary Eagleson on November 30, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Gresh discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Gresh then talks about mining and offers details surrounding specific mines, such as the Black Hawk Consolidated or Ran [Rand] Mine, the Techatticup Mine, the Wall Street Mine, and the Duncan Mine. Gresh then discusses the early days of Boulder City, Nevada and Henderson, Nevada. She also briefly mentions Block 16.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Charles Hirsch conducted by Mike Olson on September 28, 1973 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Hirsch discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1938, how gambling became popular as more casinos were being built, his different occupations, and above ground atomic testing.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Clifford Jones conducted by an unknown collector in the year 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Jones discusses his life in Southern Nevada, his educational background, and his involvement in Nevada politics. Jones also talks about the social and environmental changes that occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada since the 1930s.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Russel Howard conducted by James W. Howard on January 10, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Howard recalls being transferred to Las Vegas, Nevada for work in 1947 and how impressed he was by the number of celebrities from the movie and entertainment industry that frequented Las Vegas in the early 1950s. He also discusses the expansion of the Las Vegas Strip and how rapidly the number of hotels grew.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William Rehn conducted by Melissa Valentine on February 15, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Rehn discusses how he believes people have changed in Las Vegas, Nevada since he moved there in 1939. Rehn bemoans how African Americans were treated and segregated in Las Vegas, and describes his career as a political cartoonist. He describes clubs in Las Vegas and their connection to organized crime, as well as the inner workings of the casinos and their relation to the economy.
Archival Collection