Ron Current's heart was always in the right place, with respect to social activism and his dedication to empowering the black community in Las Vegas. Inspired by Black Panther Party founders, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, Ron started the Black Panther Party Las Vegas Chapter. He was also the director of public relations for the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression; an organization created to work in tandem with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, to eliminate racial inequality. Ron describes the overall atmosphere of the Westside community in Las Vegas during the early days, as chaotic, drug infested, and riddled with daily gang related shootings. He also recalls the historic preservation attempts made by leading members of the Westside community, such as Sarann Knight Preddy. Ron recalls working at the University Medical Center while recruiting for the Black Panther Party Las Vegas Chapter. This interview demonstrates the power of love. As the founder and leader of the Black Panther Party Las Vegas Chapter, Ron was named one of the most influential blacks in Las Vegas by the Sentinel Voice. He recalls utilizing his hands-on leadership approach towards capacity building and the successful implementation of community mobilization strategies and methods. He was a champion for educational equity, equal access to employment opportunities, and economic equality in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 1964, the year that Vincent Kethen was born, desegregation of Las Vegas schools began. Like many African-American children living in the Las Vegas Westside neighborhood, Vincent was bused out of his neighborhood in third grade to attend a white school. In his case, this meant attending John S. Park Elementary and later other predominantly white schools. He talks about these experiences. John S. Park was a neighborhood of manicured lawns, while the school bus and the classroom were places fraught with fisticuffs. The experience of growing up during that era are recalled. Vincent provides a sense of that it was like to reside in his home neighborhood and the onslaught of the drug culture altered gang-lead neighborhoods. Being bused had positive results he explains, such as athletics, which served as an equalizer. For Vincent, a solid upbringing, which included love of church and the chance to attend college, encouraged him to make good decisions about his future. He received a four-year degree and he returned to Las Vegas to "give back." For over a decade and a half, her has coached young basketball players and helped them see their options for a brighter future than they might otherwise have seen.
Black and white photo taken by C. P. Squires on the occasion of planting the first tree in the courthouse park, Las Vegas, Nevada. Date, March 1911, as near as can be fixed. The building shown at left is the first Clark County Court House (now used for Las Vegas City Library) which had been constructed by popular subscription by Las Vegas Business men as promised by them during the county division campaign in 1908-1909. This building provided sufficient quarters for the county offices for five years, following which, the present court house was built. Persons shown, so far as their identity can be remembered are: holding the tree- Ed W. Clark and using the shovel is Judge E. J. L Taber. Others, left to right: Charlie Ronnow, Judge W. R. Thomas, unidentified, unidentified, Bob Dillon, Frank A. Stevens, Harley A. Harmon, and Dr. Roy W. Martin.
'Las Vegas Area Map 3Bf.' 'Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey.' ' Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Carson City, Nevada.' Scale 1:24,000 (W 115°15´00?--W 115°07´30? / N 36°07´30?--N 36°00´00?). Series: Las Vegas area map ; 3Bf. Urban area maps. Las Vegas area map ; 3Bf. Relief shown by contour lines and spot heights. Title in right and left margins: Las Vegas SW quad : ground water. Title on publications list on Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology website: Groundwater map of the Las Vegas SW quadrangle. Series: Urban area maps [Las Vegas area map] from list of publications on Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology website. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology