Dr. Tom Wright was born and grew up in Illinois. His father finished his PhD in Chicago and then taught at Illinois College in Jacksonville. His mother suffered from arthritis and was told to seek a warmer climate, so John Wright packed up his family and moved to Las Vegas. Tom was 14, ready for high school, and his two brothers were elementary school age. Tom attended Las Vegas High School, which was close to the Crestwood community where the family had purchased their first home. He remembers that UNLV had no buildings when his dad first started teaching there. Instead, he conducted class in high school classrooms and church Sunday school rooms. Dr. Wright started off at a community college as a Geology Major, but a class with Bud Poland convinced him that history was his passion. He transferred to Pomona to continue his bachelor's degree. He spent his junior year in Peru on a study-abroad program, and that experience made him a Latin Americanist. The information he gath

Judy Jetter, a devout jazz music enthusiast, was born in a Chicago suburb in 1939. At the age of three, Judy began taking acting as well as tap and ballet classes. While raised by her mother until age 15 Judy was forced to study opera even though jazz music was her passion. Her first introduction to jazz came while listening to, legendary jazz great, Woody Herman on the radio. Judy developed an instant appreciation and love for jazz music. While working as a commercial actress during her childhood - Super Circus and Peter Pan peanut butter - Judy experienced live performances by the Stan Kenton Orchestra and was completely amazed. After graduation Judy was married and gave birth to her son. She worked for a movie studio in Chicago doing various jobs such as cleaning the stage, typing scripts, model work, and even playing the role of housewife. Later Judy went to college and earned a degree in psychology, which led to a job as a therapist. However, after remarrying to Bill Jetter, Judy switched careers and soon became an exercise instructor at the YMCA. There she cultivated her passion for working with people who suffered from disabilities. In particular, Judy developed a water regiment specifically designed for people with disabilities. Judy would go on to share her experiences in this field in two subsequent book publications. Unfortunately Judy's husband passed away with cancer. However, Judy found refuge and support from a group of jazz enthusiasts. Alongside her cadre, Judy began really studying how to listen to music. She moved to Las Vegas in 1992 and can often be found at different jazz venues throughout the city. She enjoys the local jazz scene in Las Vegas and making her weekly rounds to take-in Big Band and jazz singers such as Jobell and Terri James, as well as going to see Bruce Harper playing at Bugsy's, and the talented Gus Mancuso performing at the Bootlegger. Judy believes that music, like everything else, has evolved and will continue to mature; however, jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong still remain as the foremost contributors in the long history of jazz music. Her hope is that music and the arts will continue to be offered through education to allow the next generation another "dimension to not only their education but their soul."

“I decided to just keep going, and I devoted my career to higher ed. I wanted to continue putting back into this system that I felt I got a lot out of. Again, repaying a debt.” What began as a passion for playing school sports would later lead Dr. Len Jessup on a path to lifelong service in the area of higher education. From his California childhood he would soon find himself across different U.S. states performing various higher education duties from professor to university president. In this interview, Jessup talks about his grandparents’ decision to emigrate from Italy to the U.S. and how grateful he feels towards his family as a result. He recalls playing baseball in college. In his eyes, being part of several sports teams helped him develop into the person he is now. He describes doing research during at the University of Arizona and speaks to what it was like moving from one university position to the next. Ultimately, his colleagues would recommend that he move to Las Vegas to

Interviewed by Monserrath Hernández and Rodrigo Vazquez. Born (1985) and raised in Nevada, Ace is the Senior Conference Sales Manager at Wynn and Encore. His parents immigrated from Dominican Republic and are casino dealers. Ace is a UNLV graduate with degrees in Business and in Theatre Arts. Enthusiastic support of local theatre arts, he is active with the Super Summer Theatre Advisory Board. Married to Raul Daniels.

On March 16, 1978, Susan Vogel interviewed Helen Cecil (born November 4, 1916 in Silver City, Utah) in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. She relocated to Las Vegas with her parents for health reasons. This interview covers family life, education, employment and the growth and development of Las Vegas. Helen attended Las Vegas High School and then went on to work at the Las Vegas High School for many years, an accomplishment that she is extremely proud of. During the interview she also mentions the Boulder Dam, the Old Ranch, and the Westside.

On February 16, 1978, Steven Knowles interviewed Betty Joyce Clark (born 1940 in Cartersville, Georgia) about her experiences living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Clark first talks about her early places of residence, the schools she attended, and some of the businesses she remembered from the time. She also discusses bus transportation, the first hospitals in town, and the early development of the Las Vegas Strip. Additional topics include the development of utility services for homes, early railroad activity, the development of North Las Vegas, and the first airport and airline services. The latter part of the interview includes discussion of the first department stores, the tourist population, the racial makeup of the city, the police department, and the extent of crime in Las Vegas. The interview finalizes with Clark’s thoughts on the growth of Las Vegas.

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.