Oral history interview with LaMar Foremaster conducted by Gregory M. Hall on February 14, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Foremaster discusses the changes, growth, and development of Southern Nevada from 1907 to 1979. Foremaster also discusses the Old Ranch, Boulder Dam, Hoover Dam, Fremont Street and the Strip. He then talks about his religious ties to the Mormon Church and his political activities in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jessica Hutchings conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 21, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Jessica Hutchings discusses her experience flying to Las Vegas, Nevada on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting. She speaks of her flight's detour to Phoenix, Arizona, and her discovery of the shooting. Hutchings explains how Congregation Ner Tamid, where she is a cantor, contributed to the community healing after the tragedy, including their organization of vigils, a music fundraiser called "Vegas Strong in Song," and discussing the event with teenage Hebrew School students who had questions and concerns about the shooting.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William Evans conducted by Aaron Bullock on April 24, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Evans reflects upon his 40 year-career as a teacher and school administrator, starting with the Clark County School District in 1963. He discusses his experiences teaching in West Las Vegas, his experiences with school integration, and the influence of his life experiences on his philosophy of education.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Frank Watts conducted by Franklin Conn on April 01, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Watts discusses his personal history and Las Vegas, Nevada history. Watts describes working at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino as a comptroller and the development of other casinos in Las Vegas. Watts goes on to describe the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he was a professor during the 1960s and 1970s. He also talks about working at the Riviera, organized crime in Las Vegas, and the growth of the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dr. Steven Henick conducted by Jackie Beck on March 03, 2006 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Henick reflects upon his 25-year career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). He describes his approach to school administration, and the ways in which his approach shaped his interactions with teachers and experiences with testing. He also discusses his experience working as a central office administrator, and explains different pressures that the central office encounters.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mei Yang conducted by Jourdin Wilson on November 10, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) professor and graduate coordinator Mei Yang talks about her family and childhood in Shanxi Province, southwestern China. She shares her educational background pursuing her bachelor's and master's degrees in China before immigrating to the United States to earn her PhD in Computer Science from the University of Texas, Dallas. Mei Yang talks about her move to Las Vegas, Nevada, her work and professorship at UNLV, and her thoughts on pursuing a STEM (science technology engineering math) career as a woman. She shares how she raises her daughters in the United States away from her husband overseas, the Chinese community within Las Vegas, and traditions she celebrates.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Earl Stokes conducted by his son, William R. Stokes, on March 02, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Stokes discusses working in the moving and shipping industry of Las Vegas, Nevada. Stokes talks about the history of the companies he worked for, the condition of roads in Las Vegas during the 1960s, and who he moved materials for, including the Las Vegas Convention Center and Nellis Air Force Base. He continues, discussing life in Las Vegas, the Helldorado Parades, and how Las Vegas has changed.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Cora Williams conducted by Kathlyn Wilson on March 11, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Cora Williams discusses arriving in Las Vegas in 1952. She talks about working as a hotel maid and later owning a beauty shop. Williams also discusses the NAACP and housing discrimination.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sara Kalaoram conducted by Alexandra Arabshian on November 15, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
Sara Kalaoram shares her immigration story to the United States from Singapore in 2002 at the age of four. She talks about her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada, her education from Arizona State University, and her work with the Culinary Workers Union and with Assemblyman Steve Yeager as his campaign manager and executive assistant. Sara Kalaoram discusses cultural differences between Singapore and the United States, the immigration stories of her parents, and her experience as an Asian-American immigrant in the twenty-first century.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Greg McCurdy conducted by Claytee D. White on March 7, 2013 and August 21, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. McCurdy discusses growing up in the early Westside neighborhood as a boy and his work as a police officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD). He then talks about retiring after 30 years of service and his following career overseeing the Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Investigations Group at the LVMPD.
Archival Collection