Oral history interview with Reva Giles conducted by Claytee D. White on July 17, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. Giles discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958, then recalls living on Decatur and the military housing at Nellis Air Force Base. She then discusses moving from Las Vegas to Okinawa, Japan for four years with her husband, and upon his retirement from the military, moving back to Las Vegas in 1964. She also discusses working in various offices at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), retiring and volunteering as an office aide to the UNLV athletic director.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Samuel E. Wright conducted by Claytee D. White on October 08, 2010 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Wright discusses Stokely Carmichael, the black power philosophy, and his remorse in the Washington riots. Wright also discusses job opportunities in Las Vegas, Nevada and the lack of commissioner support to build a public mass transit system. Wright then shares stories about the Westside neighborhood and other black neighborhoods of the 1980s. He talks about the closing of F Street and resulting protests in 2008 and 2009, and the creation of Symphony Park.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dorothy Eisenberg conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on March 08, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Eisenberg starts this interview by discussing her personal history and growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She describes living through World War II, arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1964, and the Jewish community that she was involved with at Temple Beth Sholom. Lastly, Eisenberg talks about being a founding member of the League of Women Voters in Las Vegas and racial integration in Clark County schools. Digital audio and transcript available.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Paul Sorensen conducted by Bill Friday on February 27, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Sorensen discusses the history of Clark County and Las Vegas, Nevada. Sorensen discusses education in Las Vegas, reasons for the growth of Clark County, and the establishment of the Nevada Test Site. Sorensen later describes how Las Vegas and its school system has changed, and discusses who he believes are moving to live in Las Vegas the most. Sorensen goes on to discuss racial segregation in Las Vegas and racial integration in the schools via busing.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Alma Whitney conducted by Claytee D. White on March 03, 1996 and May 28, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Whitney opens the interview by talking about her life in Tallulah, Louisiana. She discusses race relations in Tallulah and how she traveled from Tallulah to Las Vegas, Nevada. Whitney describes her first job as a maid at the Desert Moon Motel, and her move later to the Desert Inn Hotel. Whitney discusses her career of over 30 years at the Desert Inn along with her promotion from maid to supervisor. Whitney also describes a time when Desert Inn employees went on strike for three weeks.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Gloria Dixon conducted by Claytee D. White on May 2, 2022 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Dixon recalls her childhood growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dixon attended St. Christopher and Bishop Gorman High School, and recalls her parents' involvement in the New Jerusalem Church. Dixon discusses writing grants to help with community education programs, and using her experience as a hospice nurse for the last thirty years to help communicate information about public health crises. Throughout the interview, Dixon shares information about the businesses in the Las Vegas Black community on Jackson Street.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary Orduno conducted by Rachel Masek on March 14, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Orduno discusses her job experience as a cocktail waitress at the Last Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the types of entertainment available to people in Las Vegas at the time. Orduno discusses her time as president of the Las Vegas City Council, when she held a fashion show for mental health awareness in which Wayne Newton performed. Orduno goes on to discuss her involvement with the Beta Sigma Phi sorority on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Margo Knowles conducted by Sonny Neighbors on March 25, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Knowles discusses jobs, governors, her family, and African American life in Las Vegas, Nevada. Margo speaks about growing up and going to school in Las Vegas. She also discusses her work as a telephone operator in Las Vegas, and at the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Wayne Rowe conducted by Claytee D. White on November 10, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Rowe discusses his early life and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He talks about his employment at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino as a utility porter and joining the United States Army in 1966. Later, Rowe recalls going through the citizenship process, working as a bellman at Bally’s, and the opening of MGM Grand Hotel in 1973. Lastly, Rowe discusses Las Vegas nightlife and the development of the Strip.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with David Pearl conducted by Joseph A. Hawk on March 14, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Pearl begins by describing life in Las Vegas, Nevada and how it has changed since the 1940s. Pearl discusses his history organizing community sports events, as well as organizing a game with the national Russian basketball team and other exhibition events for American sports teams. He then talks about his career as the executive director of the Runnin' Rebels Club at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and how he raised money for the athletics department. Pearl also talks about his other jobs, his interest in athletics, being a referee for boxing matches, and the Helldorado Parades.
Archival Collection