Oral history interview with Charles Seals conducted by Claytee D. White on July 14, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Seals discusses his upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada and growing up on the Westside. He recalls attending Madison Elementary School, being involved in church activities, and his initial interests in religious ministry. Seals talks about working in the funeral industry, and starting a church in the mid-1980s. Seals recalls the African American church leaders in the Westside and other community leaders at the time. He describes businesses on Jackson Street and recreational activities he participated in. Later, Seals discusses his mother, Rosie Seals, and her involvement in the Welfare Rights movement, being a founding member of the Clark County Welfare Rights Organization (CCWRO), and starting Operation Life. Lastly, Seals talks about the issue of substance abuse, organized crime, and the lack of financial investment into the Westside.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dr. Javier A. Rodríguez conducted by Elsa Lopez and Barbara Tabach on December 19, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project.
Dr. Javier Rodríguez, Biology Professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, talks of his personal and educational history that led him to UNLV. He discusses his migration from Puerto Rico to California where he received his PhD from the University of California Berkley and became a biological museum curator for various animal specimens. He later moved to Las Vegas to teach at UNLV where he has now been for nearly two decades; Dr. Rodríguez shares how UNLV has changed since he first started working here, including the university's increased interest in faculty research to become a Top Tier institution. Subjects discussed include: Puerto Rico; University of California Berkley; University funding; Tier 1 research institutions.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Ashley “Ms. Aye Vee” Vargas conducted by Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez on October 30, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Vargas discusses her experiences growing up on the east side of Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes experiences with racial boundaries, the issue of colorism in the Latinx community, and dealing with Puerto Rican stereotypes. Vargas then talks about her involvement with Student Organization of Latinos (SOL), the Puerto Rican community in Las Vegas, and elaborates on how Puerto Rican culture has been influenced by American culture. Lastly, Vargas discusses the meaning behind her poems, raising awareness about certain issues in the Latinx community, and how Las Vegas is going through an artistic renaissance.
Archival Collection
The Strutt Hurley Collection on the Southern Nevada Pride Association, Inc. (SNAPI) and Las Vegas Pride (1989-2000) contains materials collected and produced by Strutt Hurley during her tenure as Director of Entertainment of SNAPI. Materials include meeting minutes, advertising contracts, Las Vegas Pride programs, and ephemera collected from Pride celebrations in Las Vegas, Nevada and other parts of the United States and the world.
Archival Collection
The Wilson Family Papers (1875-1918) document the personal and professional lives of James B. Wilson Sr., James B. Wilson Jr., and George Twison "Tweed" Wilson, early pioneers in Southern Nevada. The collection is comprised of personal correspondence, invoices and advertisements from the Wilson family business, the Sandstone Ranch, and photographs of the extended Wilson family.
Archival Collection
The by-laws of the Nathan Adelson Hospice establish the purpose and organization of the program, founded in 1978 in Las Vegas.
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The Bill Schafer Papers (1980-2018) contain personal and professional papers of Las Vegas, Nevada journalist and publisher, Bill Schafer, and photographs from various LGBTQIA+ related events in Las Vegas. The materials include files related to Schafer's work managing the
Archival Collection
Dennis Ortwein arrived in Las Vegas in 1956. He shares many details about growing up in Montana, his parents and siblings, his education, and the moment in time when he was offered an opportunity to work in Las Vegas. He also lays out the path his singing career took, starting with school plays, duets with his sister, and high school quartets. Once in Las Vegas, Dennis taught for a while, served as principal, and was involved in creating programs that helped integrate schools. He also talks about his church choir work, entertainment in early Las Vegas, above-ground testing at the Nevada Test Site, and anti-nuclear protests. Dennis served as lab school and student teaching coordinator in Nigeria. He offers several anecdotes and stories about the time he and his family spent there. After retiring early (age 53), Dennis acted as consultant to the Esmeralda County school board, executive director for the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and wrote a book. He is currently enjoying his singing career by appearing at conventions, in musicals, and at weddings and memorials.
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Oral history interview with Eloiza B. Martinez conducted by Maribel Estrada Calderón on October 10, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Martinez discusses the career preparedness she took while working for Commercial Credit Corporation and studying with Mayor Oscar Goodman. She then describes her first impressions of Las Vegas, Nevada and about her community involvement. Martinez then discusses her work at Wells Fargo as loan officer and assistant vice president, and talks about discrimination in the workplace and in the neighborhood where she grew up.
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