Oral history interview with Herbert Wells conducted by Patricia van Betten February 24, 2005 for the History of Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Wells discusses his personal history and being drafted to the United States military in 1945. He describes military life, his education in mining, and his career mining in Blue Diamond, Nevada. Wells discusses managing shifts for the miners that lived in the Blue Diamond village and describes the infrastructure at the village. Later, Wells talks about his employment at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a civil and environmental engineer professor.
Archival Collection
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 Edythe Katz conducted by Walter Duttweiler on March 01, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Katz discusses the Jewish community, Ralph Denton, atomic testing, and integration in movie theatres.
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Oral history interview with Edea Trapletti conducted by Claytee D. White on June 21, 2010 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Oral History Project. In this interview, Trapletti discusses her early life in Trieste, Italy. She talks about coming to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1950, her initial reaction to the city, and building a home in the John S. Park neighborhood. Trapletti describes the community in the area, religious organizations, and social life at the time. Lastly, Trapetti discusses the future of the John S. Park neighborhood and the other neighborhoods near downtown Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Carolyn Whaley conducted by Diana Rhodes on March 22, 2005 for the UNLV Women's Studies Veteran Oral History Project. Whaley discusses her early interest in music and her successful audition for the United States Air Force Women's Air Force (WAF) Band in 1959. She explains that the band was the only all-female band in the military between 1951 and 1961, and shared a number of stories about the function and activities of the band. Later, she discusses her civilian career as a music teacher in Barstow, California and decision to move to Las Vegas, Nevada after her retirement in 2000. She also remarks on the lack of interest that officials at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas showed in veterans.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Otha Bolden conducted by an unknown interviewer on July 05, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bolden discusses social and environmental changes that have taken place in Nevada over the span of twenty years. Her husband, Mr. Bolden also weighs in on the discussion, adding his personal accountant of the storm of 1964, and his views on integration and employment in Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Bernice Johnson conducted by Dan Buress on February 21, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Johnson discusses her personal history and her reasons for moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Johnson describes moving between Southern California and Las Vegas while her husband worked for the railroad company. The interview concludes with Johnson recalling her memories of the Von Tobel family and the rapid population growth in Las Vegas after the construction of the Nevada Test Site.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lena Brass conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on January 17, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Brass discusses her upbringing in Winsboro, Louisiana and describes living during segregation. She recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1975 with her husband, her employment at Nevada State Bank, and participating in the Martin Luther King parade. Brass then talks about the advancement of banking technology, the utilization of computers, and her experience as an African American bank manager. Later, Brass talks of her mentors, her faith, and the economic downturn of Jackson Street businesses in the Westside. Lastly, Brass discusses the future of the African American community in Las Vegas, the Westside, and business networking with the church community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Robert Foster conducted by Kelley Tuchman on March 02, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Foster first talks about his background in the military and his eventual teaching experience in special education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Foster then discusses helping the development of the special education field in Clark County and throughout the country, including the legislation and training toward the education program itself. Foster ends the interview by recalling his personal experiences and importance of helping the mentally and physically disabled.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alex Kang conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on October 4, 2022 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Kang discusses his childhood moving back and forth between Pusan, South Korea and America as his parents sought the best place to raise their children. Kang recalls the multitude of endeavors he has heavily invested in since he was young, from moving to Brazil to pursue his interests in soccer to practicing golf every single day in his youth. Kang attended San Diego State University on a scholarship to play golf and majored in math. He got involved in a party bus business, honed his golf skills, and decided to learn how to count cards at the casino. Kang moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2013. Throughout the rest of the interview, Kang discusses how he organizes extravagant events, including an event hosting the popular K-Pop group BTS in Las Vegas, his golfing career, and enjoying his life surrounded by his family.
Archival Collection