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 Dennis Ritz conducted by Claytee D. White on September 29, 2017 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Ritz discusses his early life in rural Pennsylvania. He recalls his initial interest in entertainment, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965, and becoming an entertainment director for hotels and casinos. Ritz talks about the influence of organized crime in Las Vegas, and the various shows he worked on.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with John Delibos conducted by Claytee D. White on October 2, 2012 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. John Delibos discusses moving with his family from Wisconsin in 1959 to Las Vegas, Nevada and his experience being raised in a Catholic household. He then discusses graduating from Cornell University and returning to Las Vegas to work in various casino jobs. Delibos also discusses retiring from gaming and becoming a full-time interior designer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alfred Isola conducted by Stephen Kalish on March 15, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Isola discusses Las Vegas, Nevada’s lack of a unified garbage system and how dumping sites have had to adjust their practices in order to limit their impact on pollution. Isola also explains the different disposal protocols for wet and dry trash.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Herb Jeffries conducted by Cork Proctor on 2009 May 5 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. In the interview Jeffries discusses his life as a singer and actor, entertaining in Las Vegas, Nevada where Frank Sinatra offered support when Jeffries encountered racial discrimination. He also talks about his life after retirement, his family, being an America, his military service, and his relationship with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington as a young performer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with David L. Weide conducted by Claytee D. White on May 31, 2007 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Weide discusses his career as a geologist, teaching geology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the history of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Weide begins by explaining the history behind the name "Blue Diamond Village," how he came to study geology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the employment process at UNLV. He describes the geological history of Nevada, hosting his own folk music program on the local radio station, KNPR, and his opinions on UNLV's intention to become a "Research One" institution.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mildred Bardy conducted by Deborah Grant on March 11, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview Bardy discusses the famous celebrities who would come to purchase clothing at the specialty clothing department store where she worked, as well as the costumes that were made there for the Helldorado Parade. Bardy also discuss some of the changes in Las Vegas over time, particularly the changes in fashion styles.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Denzle Pease conducted by Sandra Johnson on October 11, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Pease discusses his personal history and his experience in Boulder City, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Bob Campagna conducted by Kathleen Neumann on March 17, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bob (Bobby) Campagna (b. September 18, 1950 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania) talks about the history of Nevada. During the interview, Bobby discusses hotels, schools, city recreation, and Lorenzi Park. He also describes relocating to Las Vegas, his goals in life, and his life in Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Julie Cleaver conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on May 19, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Cleaver discusses her early life in Durham, North Carolina. Cleaver talks about attending Ohio State University, studying landscape architecture, and arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1993. She describes master planning for the Green Valley area, master planned communities in Summerlin, and making changes to home design criteria. Lastly, Cleaver talks about the future of Summerlin master planned communities.
Archival Collection