Oral history interview with Della Coates conducted by Bill Hitchcock on March 18, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Coates discusses public services, atomic testing, Nellis Air Force Base, the education system, military life, the difference in wages between careers, and wage changes. She also describes her time working for the telephone company.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sally Halko conducted by Roberta Farmer on March 11, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Halko first talks about her family background, education, traveling, and church membership. She later talks about the development of Las Vegas, Nevada casinos, racial minorities, housing growth, Lake Mead, and the first theaters.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Allen Sharpe conducted by Patricia Holland on May 10, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Sharpe discusses arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1929 and moving into one of the first homes in North Las Vegas. He then talks about the expansion of West Las Vegas and the increase of casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. Lastly, Sharpe discusses his job as a painter and recalls experiences in the painting business.
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 Tanya Olson conducted by Claytee D. White on July 6, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Olson recalss beginning October 2, 2017 to photograph scenes surrounding the aftermath of the shooting at the Route 91 Country Music Festival. Her efforts culminated in a film that highlights the Healing Garden, a memorial established after the shooting. It was dedicated on the first Friday of October 2017. Her 6-minute film, Forever In Our Hearts, is described as "Citizens unite to provide kindness and salve the wounds caused by the October 1, 2017 massacre during a Las Vegas country concert." The film was shown at the Nevada Women's Film Festival in 2018. Olson discusses beginning her latest endeavor, matriculating at the American Film Institute, a lifelong dream that she is pursuing after 23 years in the military, a film degree from University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and completing her film project on one of the worst massacres in American history.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Charles Santelman conducted by Catrina J. First on November 17, 2002 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Santelman reflects upon his 36-year career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). He discusses his teaching experience in Sandy Valley, Nevada, and compares it to teaching in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also describes the process by which he became an administrator and his working relationship with teachers and parents, and offers suggestions for individuals interested in pursuing school administration.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Anthony Mulholland conducted by Steve Hayes on November 21, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Mulholland discusses his personal history and early educational experiences. He talks about his employment for Clark County Libraries and becoming a professor at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Mulholland describes the first courses he taught on literature, applying mythology to the curriculum, and why he uses archetypical characters in his courses. Lastly, Mulholland discusses the approach he uses in the various literature courses he teaches and explains how he is able to relate to many of his students.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Saul Willis conducted by Claytee D. White on January 14, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Willis discusses his personal history and moving from Sondheimer, Louisiana to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1968. He talks about living in West Las Vegas, nightlife entertainment in the area, and community leaders at the time. He then recalls the increase of drug use in the Westside, being incarcerated for a year, and starting an automobile mechanic business. Lastly, Willis discusses his experience with the Las Vegas court system and the continued development of the Westside.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Emil Pahor conducted by his granddaughter, Shelley Pahor, on March 04, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Pahor discusses his personal history in Las Vegas, Nevada after moving there in 1936. Pahor describes what life was like living in Las Vegas at the time and the kinds of facilities and recreation available. Pahor discusses starting his own sheet metal business, which eventually became an air conditioning business. Pahor also discusses the first radio broadcasts in Las Vegas and the shows he enojyed.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Calvin Shields conducted by Claytee D. White on May 07, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Shields begins by discussing his upbringing in Florida and his early interest in playing the trumpet before being drafted into the United States Army during World War II, where he learned how to play the drums in a military orchestra. Shields describes his career as a musician following his military service, playing as a drummer for singers such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Billy Williams and in various club and casino orchestras in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shields provides his experiences of segregation in Las Vegas as an African American man, and discusses how African American culture has changed and progressed.
Archival Collection