Oral history interview with Claytee D. White conducted by Stefani Evans on November 2, 2023 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Claytee D. White, founding directory of the Oral History Research Center at UNLV Libraries, celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the OHRC by contributing her oral history to the collection.
She begins by explaining how the system of sharecropping worked in her family near rural Ahoskie, North Carolina, and she talks about the field work involved in raising cotton, tobacco, corn, and peanuts. The fifth of eight children and the first daughter, she shares memories of going into town with her mother, of admiring her women teachers, and of attending North Carolina Central College (now University) for two years before moving to Washington, D.C., and working for the telephone company.
After recalling her two years in D.C. and 22 years in Los Angeles, California, she describes "running away" to Las Vegas, Nevada in the early 1990s. Here, at the History department at UNLV, she recalls learning to conduct oral histories. White shares memories of her first interviews with Hazel and Jimmy Gay and Lucille Bryant. She talks of matriculating to the College of William and Mary for her PhD and of returning to Bertie County to live with her mother and administer the office of The Shaw University Center for Alternative Programs in Education (CAPE). She describes how she was offered the position of OHRC founding director, why it matters that she was an "opportunity hire," and how it feels to be the only Black person in a room.
Oral history interview with Jessica Guiao conducted by Grecia Lopez on November 22, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Guiao recalls her childhood in Hayward, California, and being raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recalls not liking the climate of Nevada at first, and describes the friends she has made throughout her time in the city and the identity she has developed. Guiao discusses some of the pressures and stereotypes surrounding Asian Americans, such as what career path they should pursue or the aversion to embracing subcultures, and how she has consolidated her rebellion into her own identity. Throughout the interview, Guiao touches on other topics such as Filipino food, the long-standing history between Mexican and Filipino communities, Catholicism, goth culture, and anti-Asian hate and racism that she and her family has faced.
Oral history interview with J. K. Russ conducted by Claytee D. White on December 22, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Russ discusses her early life in New Zealand and growing up on a tobacco farm. She remembers arriving to the United States and establishing a career as an artist. Russ talks about the 1 October shooting, creating an art exhibit using cards and letters received from people all over the world, and Las Vegas’ response to the tragedy. Lastly, Russ describes the art community in Las Vegas and the Arts District.
Oral history interview with Stormy Caldwell conducted by Dennis McBride on March 26, 2005 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Caldwell discusses the gay community in Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada. She talks about her involvement with Stonewell Park, an idea of a separated gay community during the 1980s. Caldwell then discusses buying land on Thunder Mountain, Nevada and the possibility of Stonewell Park being built in that area.
Oral history interview with Pamela Dallas conducted by Dennis McBride on February 07, 2004 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Dallas discusses working alongside gay activist Fred Schoonmaker and her involvement with Stonewall Park, an idea of a separated gay community during the 1980s. She talks about fundraising for Stonewall Park and the homophobia that the community of Silver Springs, Nevada had towards the construction of Stonewall Park.
Oral history interview with Charlotte Ellsworth conducted by Jane Ellsworth Olive on March 22, 1977, December 26, 1980, December 28, 1981, and August 06, 1987 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the span of four interviews, Ellsworth discusses her family’s history, the growth of Henderson, Nevada, working at the Basic Magnesium Plant, and life during World War II. She also talks about war bond drives, the Oakey Theaters, Nevada Chamber of Commerce, "western" clothes, and hotels like the Flamingo Hotel and the Riviera Hotel. She then describes visiting places like Canada, Salt Lake City, Utah, Washington, D. C., and San Francisco, California.
Oral history interview with Jan Jones conducted by Dennis McBride on March 26, 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Jones discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1981 and describes the car dealership commercials she was involved in with Kenny Kerr in the 1980s. Jones recalls the No Hate rallies that were organized in Nevada to support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. She then talks about the backlash she received as Mayor of Las Vegas because of her support for the gay community.
Oral history interviews with Harry Mortenson conducted by Claytee D. White on April 08, 2014, April 22, 2014, and May 06, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In the first interview, Mortenson discusses his personal background, working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and arriving to Nevada to work as a nuclear physicist at the Nevada Test Site. Mortenson describes his work and recalls anecdotes from his employment. He then talks about his company, Sigma Scientific, and explains the different projects where he worked as a consultant. In the second interview, Mortenson discusses the methods of transportation used to arrive to the Nevada Test Site, his involvement with different organizations, and his tenure in the Nevada State Legislature. In the final interview, Mortenson discusses the device he built to take photographs of the nuclear reactor cores at Las Alamos National Laboratory, and explains how that device worked.
The Game On! Oral History of Sports in Las Vegas interviews (2024-) contain all oral history interviews conducted by UNLV University Libraries Oral History Research Center. This project centers on documenting the history of sports in Las Vegas, including interviews discussing the earliest teams to the most recent champions. Interviews cover a wide array of sports including hockey, football, baseball, softball, auto racing, tennis, basketball, poker, boxing, rodeo, golf, running, esports, and more. Digital audio available for all interviews; check collection inventory for individual narrators and more detailed information on specific interviews.
Oral history interview with Lee Martin conducted by Dennis McBride on May 01, 2013 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Martin discusses his involvement with the Nevada Gay Action League and the Pacifica Hotel, an effort to open a gay resort in Las Vegas, Nevada during the mid 1980s. He describes managing Paradise Bookstore, a bookstore for gay literature, in downtown Las Vegas. Lastly, Martin discusses other gay businesses that he was involved with in Las Vegas.