Oral history interview with Ron Donoho conducted by Craig Brenner on February 28, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Donoho discusses the history of sheriffs in the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Donoho mentions various sheriffs that were his colleagues and the political dynamics during their leaderships. He also recalls a list of Southern Nevada police officers killed in the line of duty.
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Interviewed by Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez. Nery Martinez was born in El Salvador, he describes his childhood as one filled with war and violence. When Martinez was five years old, the small country of El Salvador erupted in civil war. Martinez describes the panic that he saw growing up, never being certain when violence could occurred. The 12 year war took up the entirety of Martinez's childhood. After the war, the country was left in runes, seeing little hope for recovery, Martinez left El Salvador for Las Vegas where his brothers had fled earlier during the war. In Las Vegas, Martinez was able to find work in the service industry, at the same time attending English classes at night. Martinez is currently working as a bartender within the Culinary Union. Interview conducted in Spanish.
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Oral history interview with Tanya Olson conducted by Claytee D. White on July 6, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Olson recalss beginning October 2, 2017 to photograph scenes surrounding the aftermath of the shooting at the Route 91 Country Music Festival. Her efforts culminated in a film that highlights the Healing Garden, a memorial established after the shooting. It was dedicated on the first Friday of October 2017. Her 6-minute film, Forever In Our Hearts, is described as "Citizens unite to provide kindness and salve the wounds caused by the October 1, 2017 massacre during a Las Vegas country concert." The film was shown at the Nevada Women's Film Festival in 2018. Olson discusses beginning her latest endeavor, matriculating at the American Film Institute, a lifelong dream that she is pursuing after 23 years in the military, a film degree from University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and completing her film project on one of the worst massacres in American history.
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Oral history interview with James "Sailor" Ryan conducted by Perry Kaufman in 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Ryan discusses moving to Nevada from Montana in 1935. Ryan describes his career as a construction laborer for the Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam) as well as later positions in construction. Ryan also details his involvement in politics and his position in the Nevada Assembly. Lastly, Ryan discusses gambling and the growth of Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Oral history interview with Zoe Allison conducted by Debra Ruth on February 21, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Allison discusses her career with Central Telephone Company, working at the Sahara Hotel as a switchboard operator, and owning a dress shop on Fremont Street. She also talks about notable locations such as Craig Road Speedway, Silver Slipper Race Track, Nellis Air Base and Mount Charleston, and the politics of prostitution in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Oral history interview with Robert O. Cannon conducted by Julia Bragg on March 11, 1973 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Cannon talks about the El Rancho Hotel and Casino, Carole Lombard’s plane accident, living in Boulder City, Nevada during World War II, segregation of African Americans from a white person’s perspective, and the creation of a course in hotel administration at the University of Southern Nevada (now known as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas).
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Oral history interview with Hope Anstett conducted by Claytee D. White on December 8, 2003 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Anstett talks about moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1939 with her mother and brother after a doctor recommended a move to a drier climate. Her mother rented a home from Senator Key Pittman and opened a photograph studio and dress shop in the front, with the family living in the back. She describes what it was like growing up in a small community, the schools she attended, the Las Vegas High School Rhythmettes drill team, and the activities available including Helldorado Days and the local recreation center. Later she discusses what the city was like during the war years, the family's move to Oregon, graduating from college, and getting married. She explains that she moved back to Las Vegas while her husband was deployed with the military and worked until his return and the birth of their first child. She also talks about her civic activities, her husband's career with Silver State Disposal, and their post-retirement travel and philanthropic work with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
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Oral history interview with Alice Key conducted by Claytee D. White on August 16, 2007 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Key talks about her birth in Kentucky, upbringing in Riverside, California, high school graduation in 1928 and enrollment at UCLA. She describes at length her entry into the entertainment business as a dancer in 1929, her work and travels with dance companies, and her decision to retire in 1937. She continues discussing the roots of her political activism in Los Angeles, her journalism career, her work to end restrictive covenants, racism in Hollywood hiring, and poor representation for Black dancers in the industry. She then explains what prompted her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1954 and describes the levels of racism and inequality in Las Vegas during this period. She remarks on many notable Las Vegas leaders, including Dr. Charles West, Dr. James McMillan, Mabel Hoggard, Woodrow Wilson, and others. She also discusses the role of the NAACP, her work as a deputy registrar of voters, and creating the first all-Black television show in the country: Talk of the Town.
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Oral history interview with Chuck Johnson conducted by Barbara Tabach on November 17, 2021, December 15, 2021, and January 14, 2022 for the Veterans Oral History Project of Southern Nevada.
Chuck discusses his enlistment in the Army at the age of 16 and his tours of duty during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He shares stories from his 21 year military career and talks about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), his injuries, and how the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill) helped him to settle in Nevada.
During his second interview session, Chuck reflects on his time spent in Korea and how he came to establish the Korean War Memorial in Boulder City, Nevada. He shares more stories from his service in Vietnam and Germany. Chuck also talks about his family's history and his mother's family tree.
During his third interview session, Chuck shares more memories of serving in Korea and Vietnam, especially the Tet Offensive attacks during the Vietnam War. He recalls stories from his childhood, including leading his high school's ROTC Color Guard for President John F. Kennedy hours before the President's assassination.
Subjects discussed include: MASH; Agent Orange
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Oral history interview with Joanne Ullman conducted by Jerwin Tiu, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on April 21, 2023 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Ullman describes her childhood in a close-knit family in New Jersey. She discusses having a balance of Filipino culture at home, while also experiencing the impact of growing up in both an ethnic and socioeconomic minority. Ullman discusses studing molecular biology at Montclair State University, and upon graduating, researching at a science museum under a breast surgeon, where she also met her husband. Shortly after, she began consulting work and relocated with her family to Las Vegas, Nevada. Ullman went on to pursue a masters degree in data analysis at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and then eventually her Ph.D. in psychology. Currently, she spends her time as a full-time professor at UNLV teaching statistics. Throughout the interview, Ullman reflects on her career with fondness, having achieved many feats in research, publishing, and is proud of the way she has raised her family.
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