Oral history interviews with June Monroe and Kazuko Atomura conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on July 14 and July 19, 2022 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In the first interview, Kazuko Atomura describes her childhood in Taiwan and Tokyo, Japan, and shares both happy and difficult mememories of that time. Atomura eventually moved to Los Angeles, California, where she reconnected with a man she previously met in Japan. She married him and together had their daughter, June Monroe, and another son while living in Corpus Christi, Texas. After difficult medical procedures involving Atomura's husband and Monroe's younger brother, Brian, the family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. Monroe recalls attending Las Vegas High School and Bonanza High School, and the struggle of making new friends as a young person.
In the second interview, the mother and daughter discuss racism, discrimination, and identity. Kazuko Atomura recalls her many experiences with discrimination as a result of both her appearance and language barriers. June Monroe discusses how she came to be proud of her Japanese heritage, while Atomura discusses some of the community activities she has been involved in since living in Las Vegas including the Japanese Culture Club and odori dancing. Then, both Atomura and Monroe discuss Monroe's brother, Brian, who received two kidney transplants; one from Monroe's father and one from Monroe herself. Atomura talks about the shrines she has built for Brian, the experience of him being on dialysis, care taking, and his final days. Monroe shares about her activism with organ donation, being regularly involved with the Nevada Donor Network and helping to pass significant pieces of legislation within the area of organ donation.
The Aplin Family Scrapbooks (1927-1971) consists of four handmade scrapbooks compiled by Hilda Aplin. The scrapbooks contain photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and handwritten captions. The majority of the collection focuses on Hilda and Charles Aplin’s involvement in the Fraternal Order of Eagles and Las Vegas Eagles Auxiliary #1213. Also included is a photograph album that details the family’s activities from 1927 to 1959, including notable locations around Las Vegas, Nevada such as Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Mt. Charleston, and annual Helldorado parades.
Oral history interview with J. David Hoggard conducted by Claytee White and unnamed interviewer on various dates in 1997, 1998, and 1999 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN). Hoggard discusses serving in World War II, being transferred to Nellis Air Force Base in 1945, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada from New Jersey in 1946. He also recalls becoming one of the first African American police officers in Las Vegas, and working in the Clark County School District for 15 years. Hoggard then discusses his involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), including serving as chapter president for four years.
Oral history interview with Lindsay Wenger conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 13, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Lindsay Wenger discusses her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2013 for her residency at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMC). She talks about her experience on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting and recalls a few specific patients she treated throughout the night and into the morning. After discussing the events at the hospital, she explains how she has been emotionally affected and how her view of Las Vegas as a community has changed.
On March 19, 1978, Marcela Yepes interviewed Richard Erbe (born 1922 in El Monte, California) about his experiences in Las Vegas, Nevada and specifically about his career in education. Erbe first talks about his family background and German ancestry before describing how he ended up moving to Nevada. He then describes his wife’s father’s background in the gaming industry and some of the early illicit casinos that existed in California. The interview shifts to Erbe’s educational background, his first teaching position as a fifth grade teacher, his experience in the military, and his reasoning for not seeking employment in the gaming industry. The two also discuss church activity, politics, and social activities in Las Vegas. The latter part of the interview includes Erbe’s viewpoints on the issues in the educational system, his experiences as a principal at multiple Clark County schools, and some of the challenges he encountered in the administrative side in the field of education.