Oral history interview with June Eshelman conducted by Elizabeth Goodman on March 14, 2003 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Eshelman reflects upon her nearly 30-year career as a junior high school music teacher and administrator with the Clark County School District (CCSD) from the 1970s to the early 2000s. She discusses her early experiences as a music teacher and band director, and describes the challenges of transitioning from a teacher to a dean, and eventually principal. She also discusses her experience as a principal working at Gilbert Magnet School, and the different expectations that principals face when working with magnet programs.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Aaron Williams conducted by Claytee D. White on August 16, 2005 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Williams recalls individuals he worked with, such as Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Gay, and the mayor of Los Angeles, California. He remembers the Westside Federal Credit Union, joining the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and encountering discrimination at one of the first jobs he had at the Sahara Hotel. He shares anecdotes of Robert Maheu, Steve Wynn, Lubertha Johnson, Ruby Duncan, Mabel Hoggard, and other Las Vegas, Nevada notables.
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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 Gene Greenberg conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 12, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Gene Greenberg discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, working in television ad sales, and becoming executive vice president and general manager of KVBC-TV. He also talks about his ties to the Jewish community, his parents being holocaust survivors, and about his family life.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jahaira Farias conducted by Monserrath Hernández on April 12, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Farias discusses her family’s background in Mexico and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recalls attending Western High School, joining their ROTC program, and commanding the armed drill team. Farias talks about her decision to enlist to the United States Marine Corps and describes the type of work she did while serving. She describes her deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, post-traumatic stress disorder within in the Marine Corps, and her experiences as a woman in the military. Later, Farias discusses being president of the Women Marines Association (WMA) and the organization's involvement in Las Vegas high schools. Lastly, Farias talks about the term Latinx and her evolving feelings around identity.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Eric Calvillo conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez on June 18, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Calvillo discusses his early life in San Jose, California before eventually moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. He talks about completing a culinary internship at the Picasso restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel and Casino and how he has always been interested in the arts. Calvillo then describes his career in art as a painter, his Día de los Muertos inspired art, and showcasing his art pieces at First Friday in the Las Vegas Arts District. Later, Calvillo talks about making art more accessible, commissioned art pieces he has made, and explains the time it takes him to finish a piece. Lastly, Calvillo discusses his thoughts on the term Latinx, the art scene in Las Vegas, and his future plans as an artist.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Merna Dennison conducted by Ken Pyatt on March 01, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Merna Dennison discusses the importance of Cashman Field and the Helldorado Parade. She speaks about serving on the Clark County School Board and discusses the growth of Las Vegas, Nevada, especially the development and expansion of both McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Frank Cuti conducted by Hans Kohls on February 25, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Frank Cuti discusses his experiences in the gaming industry in Nevada, such as his work as a floor man and a dealer in properties such as the Frontier Club during the 1940s. He then describes the changes in casinos like the El Rancho Hotel, Club Bingo, and the Flamingo Hotel. Other topics discussed include the nature of competition between properties, cheaters, the mob, the involvement of unions, and Howard Hughes’ influence on the development of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alex X. Porter conducted by Claytee D. White on April 16, 2022 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Porter mainly discusses his membership of and devout role in the Nation of Islam. He discusses how he became involved with the religion after trying to enact change in the Black community through the NAACP. He discusses how his stance on education sets him apart from the majority of the Black community; he believes that a college degree is not necessary to teach intellectual topics to young people. Porter is active in the Las Vegas Black community as either a member or supporter of the Minister's Alliance, Shepherd's Breakfast, NAACP, Black Lives Matter, and the Nation of Islam.
Archival Collection