Oral history interviews with Michael Chin conducted by Jerwin Tiu, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on December 20, 2022 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Chin describes growing up in a largely Americanized household. His paternal grandparents immigrated from China and owned a laundry shop that his father worked in as well. Chin discusses his education and his interest in creative writing, including editing the school newspaper and writing an a cappella blog with his friend while in college. After graduating, he worked at the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as a resident assistant before getting into a graduate program and obtaining his MFA.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mark Fine conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on September 28, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Fine discusses his upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio and initial interest in real estate. He recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1997, his role in the development of Green Valley and Summerlin communities, and his idea that the link between volume of home sales and economics would increase the pace of development. He describes methods of building a sense of quality of life into his planned communities, building libraries, and the importance of accessibility. Lastly, Fine discusses his next projects, and reflects on the growth of Green Valley and Summerlin.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Russell Harvey conducted by Claytee D. White on May 20, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Harvey discusses his upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada and growing up in the Westside community. He talks about recreation activities he participated in, the discrimination he experienced, and integration in Las Vegas in 1960. Harvey remembers attending Nevada Southern University (now University of Nevada, Las Vegas), working stage production for shows on the Strip, and being a member of the Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local Union 720. Lastly, Harvey discusses his involvement with the Nevada Minority Purchasing Council.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nanyu Tomiyasu conducted by Andrew Russell on March 22, 1987. In this interview, Tomiyasu discusses his father's large-scale commercial farm in Las Vegas, Nevada and the amount of produce the farm produced through the 1920s. He expands on the impact of the 1922 railroad strike, particularly in regard to the Japanese population in the city. He recounts the general lack of discrimination and segregation against Japanese residents in Las Vegas, how Japanese families integrated with the community and how they maintained their cultural traditions. Later, he begins to discuss the impact of World War II on Japanese in the people living in the western states, Las Vegas' response to its Japanese residents, and how relocation and internment impacted families.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lester Earnest conducted by David Schwartz on August 8, 2017 for the Competitive Video Gaming Oral History Project. In this interview, Earnest discusses the beginning of his career in computing, speaking at length about the military SAGE project the he believes was designed to fail. He then talks at length about his work with the Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL) and the development of the computing environment through the 1960s and 1970s. He also talks about his development of the FINGER protocol and the role of artificial intelligence in the early development of video gaming, as well as various individuals who got their start with SAIL before developing modern computing and software systems.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Timothy Dickhudt conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 13, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Timothy Dickhudt discusses his move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2017 for a fellowship at the University Medical Center in Southern Nevada (UMC). He describes the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting, how he was called into work almost immediately after he arrived home from his shift, and his gradual understanding that a mass shooting had occurred on the Las Vegas Strip. Dickhudt also talks about operating on a family acquaintance from his home state of Minnesota who had attended the concert.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Miguel Villarba conducted by David Islas on December 6, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
In this interview, Miguel Villarba shares his family's history growing up in Manila, Philippines and immigrating to the United States in 2016. He talks about first living in Chattanooga, Tennessee before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to be near family when Miguel was in high school. Miguel Villarba shares stories of his grandfather's farm in Pangasinan, Philippines, the differences in city and town life across Manila, Chattanooga, and Las Vegas, and his educational plans. He also talks about Filipino culture and traditions, and racial discrimination.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Vaughn M. Higbee conducted by Mark Vandamme on March 31, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Higbee reflects upon his career as a sports coach, teacher, and administrator in Idaho and in Nevada’s Lincoln County School District (LCSD). He describes the process by which he became a coach, and then explains how his coaching experience shaped his approach to school administration. He describes his regular responsibilities and challenges as principal, and discusses his working relationships with teachers, fellow administrators, and the Board of Education. He also discusses how he chose to retire after serving as LCSD’s superintendent.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Leni H. Proctor conducted by Jennifer Blankingship on May 16, 2002 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Proctor reflects upon her experience as a principal in Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). She describes the process by which she became a teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada, and later became principal of Helen J. Stewart School. She also discusses her experiences as a female, and how these experiences shaped her approach to school administration, teacher-principal relationships, and interactions with parents. She also provides her opinion on standardized testing, curriculum changes, and what she believes makes an effective school administrator.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Eva White conducted by Jan Hagan on August 02, 2001 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, White reflects upon her career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). She discusses her upbringing and the influence that her family had on her decision to become a teacher. She reflects upon her early experiences as a new teacher, working at a school near Nellis Air Force Base, and how she crafted her approach to education. She also discusses school integration, standardized testing, mentorships, and home-school learning gaps.
Archival Collection