Oral history interview with Marcia Washington conducted by Claytee D. White on February 14, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview Marcia Washington discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada at age thirteen and only attending black only schools. She talks about fun times from her childhood, her family life after getting married in 1972, and becoming the first African American on the State Board of Education in 2000.
Archival Collection
On a sunny day in 1946, the train from Shreveport, Louisiana, stopped at The Plaza hotel in downtown Las Vegas like it always did. But on this particular day, Atha Toliver and her only child, twelve-year-old Barbara, stepped off the train and onto the dusty Western street of Fremont. Narrator Barbara Bates Kirkland recalls that event and living in Las Vegas for most of the next seven decades during this 2004 interview. Like many others who migrated from the South, Barbara Kirkland’s mother would find employment as a maid. A friend who already lived in Las Vegas had told her of the good paying jobs as private maid. So Atha who was determined that her daughter would get an education and a finer future saw this as her opportunity to achieve this for her daughter. Later, the entrepreneurial and creative mother opened Eva’s Flower Basket, a floral shop that Barbara operates in her retirement from teaching. Barbara returned to Louisiana for her senior year in high school, attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, and then returned to Las Vegas to teach first grade at Westside School. Barbara was active in the community, was a founding member of Les Femmes Douze, involved with Zion United Methodist Church and was friends with many of the early African American community leaders at the time. She talks about these, describes various neighborhoods where she lived and about raising her own two children in Las Vegas. Barbara was a founding member of Les Femmes Douze. AKA/Akateens.
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Oral history interview with David L. Weide conducted by Claytee D. White on May 31, 2007 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Weide discusses his career as a geologist, teaching geology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the history of the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Weide begins by explaining the history behind the name "Blue Diamond Village," how he came to study geology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the employment process at UNLV. He describes the geological history of Nevada, hosting his own folk music program on the local radio station, KNPR, and his opinions on UNLV's intention to become a "Research One" institution.
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Oral history interview with Nancie B. Watson conducted by Matthew Courtad on November 30, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Watson reflects upon her roughly 30-year career as a teacher and administrator in Nevada and Utah. She discusses her experiences as a teacher, and describes how certain challenges influenced her decision to pursue school administration and influenced her management approach. She discusses the importance of mentorship programs, as well as working relationships between teachers and administrators.
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Oral history interview with Arlen Simonson conducted by Marc Rogers on April 05, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Simonson reflects upon his 10 years of experience as principal at Indian Springs School in Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD) from the 1980s to the 1990s. He discusses his working relationship with students and teachers as the school’s only administrator. He also discusses the school’s relationship with the local United States Air Force base and the Thunderbirds.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Edea Trapletti conducted by Claytee D. White on June 21, 2010 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Oral History Project. In this interview, Trapletti discusses her early life in Trieste, Italy. She talks about coming to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1950, her initial reaction to the city, and building a home in the John S. Park neighborhood. Trapletti describes the community in the area, religious organizations, and social life at the time. Lastly, Trapetti discusses the future of the John S. Park neighborhood and the other neighborhoods near downtown Las Vegas.
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Interviewed by Monserrath Hernández. Rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom since 1998, Felipe Goodman is a native of Mexico City. He identifies as a Mexican Jewish American, and shares the complexities of these.
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Oral history interview with Robert A. Lynn conducted by Lisa Gioia-Acres on January 29, 2007 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview, Lynn discusses his background, education in Las Vegas, Nevada, his parents and siblings, his military career, and his professional and work training that prepared him for his first position as a groundskeeper at UNLV in 1986. He continues to discuss his career at UNLV as he rose from groundskeeper to Ground Facilities Supervisor, mentioning various project highlights, construction projects, and his supervisory style that helped create a close-working team.
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Oral history interview with Oneil Madden conducted by Yasmine Shahar and Taylor Burk on March 31, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Madden discusses his upbringing in Montreal, Canada. He talks about his religious family background, being involved in church activities, and his involvement with church youth programs. Madden describes food banks organized by the churches, tutoring services for children, and explains the significance of the Sabbath. Lastly, Madden discusses his role as pastor of Abundant Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
