Oral history interview with Lawrence Weekly conducted by Elsha Harris Yolanda on November 19, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Weekly discusses his personal history and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He talks about the importance of religion in his upbringing and his parent’s employment in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas. Weekly describes the racial discrimination he experienced in education, attending the College of Southern Nevada and later transferring to Grambling State University in Louisiana. Later, Weekly discusses his rationale for attending a historically Black college, his career as a Clark County Commissioner, and the reopening of F Street. Lastly, Weekly talks about the lack of progress in race relations across the United States.
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Oral history interview with Louis Richardson conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on July 29, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Richardson discusses his personal history growing up in South Carolina and his education in construction and engineering. Richardson describes being deployed to Vietnam after graduating college and his career as a design engineer for Mead Corporation. He then talks about teaching youth and young adults in Sierra Leone, West Africa in the mid to late 1960s. Later, Richardson recalls starting his construction business, Richardson Construction, and the first projects he was involved with throughout Las Vegas, Nevada. Lastly, Richardson discusses working on buildings at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
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Oral history interview with Patricia M. Haack conducted by Claytee D. White on May 21, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Haack begins by discussing her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1940s and 1950s, and what it was like living in the Four Mile community. She continues, describing her education at Las Vegas High School and her career working for First National Bank of Nevada, eventually becoming the vice president of the bank. Haack talks about other aspects of her personal history, such as living in California and the different locations she has lived in Las Vegas. She concludes by discussing her recreational activities and her efforts to start an alumni association for Las Vegas High School graduates.
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Oral history interview with Oscar Schwartz conducted by Claytee D. White on January 25, 2013 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Schwartz discusses his personal history and life in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1980s. Schwartz describes being a casino dealer before becoming a comedy magician and the transition of ownership of casinos from organized crime to corporations. He talks about his career in property and real estate appraisal in Las Vegas and the methods he would use to determine the value of different possessions and estates. Schwartz also discusses his opinion on the spending of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on a new stadium, the development east of Fremont Street, and casinos wanting to build Ferris wheels.
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Oral history interview with Anthony Kappenman conducted by Claytee D. White on May 16, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Kappenman begins the interview by talking about his early life, childhood, work, and his time in the military. Afterwards, he recalls what he did on October 1, 2017 prior to the Route 91 festival and during the shooting. He describes his journey trying to escape the area, arriving at the airport injured, and his stay in the hospital. Then, Kappenman talks about how he felt about the way the city and first responders had responded during the shooting, and how the community united afterwards. Lastly, he talks about his opinions on gun control, his recovery, and how he felt after the shooting.
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Oral history interview with Betty Garren conducted by Joyce Marshall on May 02, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Garren opens her interview by discussing her young adult life in California. She then talks about her first night out in Las Vegas, Nevada. Garren discusses her experiences as an executive secretary at the Last Frontier and the types of jobs available to women in casinos. Garren also describes the amenities available at the Last Frontier and the El Rancho Vegas. Garren goes on to talk about her experiences and memories of the Last Frontier Hotel in detail.
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Oral history interviews with Alma Whitney conducted by Claytee D. White on March 03, 1996 and May 28, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Whitney opens the interview by talking about her life in Tallulah, Louisiana. She discusses race relations in Tallulah and how she traveled from Tallulah to Las Vegas, Nevada. Whitney describes her first job as a maid at the Desert Moon Motel, and her move later to the Desert Inn Hotel. Whitney discusses her career of over 30 years at the Desert Inn along with her promotion from maid to supervisor. Whitney also describes a time when Desert Inn employees went on strike for three weeks.
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Oral history interview with Susan P. Slade conducted by Claytee D. White on July 31, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Slade discusses attending Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, Nevada and being in the Rhythmettes, the school's female dance group. Slade describes the team's operation and culture, and the different places they performed in Nevada and around the country. She talks about life in Las Vegas, the city's growth, and the communities in which she has lived throughout Las Vegas. Slade concludes the interview by presenting her scrapbook of Rhythmettes pictures and memorabilia.
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Oral history interview with Patricia Marchese conducted by A. D. Hopkins on July 02, 1999 for the Las Vegas Review-Journal First 100 Oral History Project. In the interview, Marchese discusses her parents and her early life in Tampa Bay, Florida, her husband and children, and arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1972. She talks about her work in serigraphy (screen printing) with the United States Bureau of Reclamation while in Las Vegas. Marchese also recalls her work with the City of Las Vegas and Clark County developing art and cultural programs including Jazz Month and the Las Vegas Junior Symphony. Other subjects Marchese covers include art exhibits, performing arts, and the growth of the Las Vegas art community.
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Oral history interview with David Parks conducted by Dennis McBride on January 31, 2007 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Parks, a member of the Nevada senate, discusses working on a Nevada anti-bullying bill and a family fairness bill, which stated that any two persons could have another person as a recipient beneficiary. Park describes dealing with opposition to the family fairness bill with some people arguing that it changes the traditional definition of family. Parks recalls running against a man with a similar name, David F. Parks, in a 2002 legislative assembly election.
Archival Collection