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Oral history interviews with James Tate conducted by Claytee D. White on April 23, 2013 and May 10, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Tate begins by discussing his upbringing in Illinois and later Connecticut, his family, and how his father being a member of the Communist Party affected how he views the world politically. He describes his education, what lead him to pursue a career in medicine and eventually become a surgeon, and the hospitals he worked at before arriving in Nevada during the 1980s. Tate details his career as a surgeon in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as in Reno, Nevada, and the difficulties he faced with the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Hugh Shirkey conducted by Patricia van Betten on February 04, 2010 for the History of Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Shirkey discusses his personal history and arriving to Blue Diamond, Nevada in 1950. He talks about his employment at the Blue Diamond Mine as an electrician. Shirkey describes what life was like at the village as a single worker, the development of the mining plant, how the plant was managed, and traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada. Lastly, Shirkey recalls moving to Las Vegas and retiring from the mining plant.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Hal G. Curtis conducted by Forrest Rupley on March 09, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Curtis discusses recreational activities in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1960s, and describes the changes in recreational activities throughout his lifetime. Curtis also recalls Lake Mead, changes to the location along with camp grounds in the surrounding area. Curtis goes on to discuss the maintenance and origins of labor unions in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Vincent Kethen conducted by Claytee White on December 23, 2009 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Oral History Project. Kethen was born in 1964 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the year that desegregation of schools started there. He discusses his experiences as an African-American child being bused to a white school, John S. Park Elementary. He also discusses growing up in that era and giving back to the community by being a youth basketball coach.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Thomas Barbarite conducted by Dennis Chamberland on March 03, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Barbarite discusses his time at the Four Queens Hotel and the Dunes Hotel as a dealer as well as his work as a pit boss at the Flamingo Hotel, the Aladdin Hotel, and Caesars Palace. Barbarite also discusses the involvement of the mob in Las Vegas, particularly the influence of Bugsy Siegel in the operation of various properties.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Leandrew Winston conducted by Claytee White on August 03, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Winston describes his migration from Arkansas to California and then to Las Vegas, Nevada where he encountered racism in an overt manner until his press pass allowed him to enter communities of non-blacks more easily. He also discusses working with Vegas PBS and KCEP.
Archival Collection