Search Results
Foothill High School oral history interviews
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Oral history interviews with Foothill High School students conducted by Claytee D. White on March 24, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
Students from Foothill High School in Henderson, Nevada are interviewed in front of one another as part of a class by Claytee D. White. Those interviewed include Shardé Smith, Evan Roquemore, Whitney Welch, RosAnne Ritchie, and Lindsay Gingrich. Claytee D. White is also interviewed by unnamed students. Each participant talks about their life, what brought them to live in Las Vegas, details of where they may have lived previously, and their interests and hobbies.
Archival Collection
Evelyn Miller McDonald oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Evelyn Miller McDonald conducted by Maylene C. Cabatingan on February 26, 1980 and February 27, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. McDonald discusses her occupational history and how her father started the first car garage in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about the Great Depression, Boulder (Hoover) Dam, and the appeal that Las Vegas, Nevada had to tourists and divorcees. McDonald later discusses how prostitution was accepted by the Las Vegas, Nevada community.
Archival Collection
Gloria Freeman Dell oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Gloria Freeman Dell conducted by Claytee D. White on April 05, 2011 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Dell discusses her life as a Las Vegas, Nevada showgirl and her experiences in the entertainment industry. She describes working at the Flamingo Hotel and tells several anecdotes about prominent entertainers she met or performed with, including Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. Dell also discusses living in a barracks specifically for showgirls, being pursued romantically by Howard Hughes, and concludes the interview by singing a song from one of her former acts.
Archival Collection
Anthony A. Marnell II oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Anthony A. Marnell II conducted by Claytee White and Stefani Evans on September 29, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Marnell speaks to the importance of teaching future generations about the value of work, of earning the sense of accomplishment, and of fueling one's inner spirit. He talks of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), of entrepreneurial gamesmanship, and of casino greats Bill Boyd, Jay Sarno, Cliff Perlman, Kirk Kerkorian, and Steve Wynn. He describes the evolution of Las Vegas resorts from prioritizing casino games to fine dining to night clubs and entertainment. Marnell also speaks about building and operating the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.
Archival Collection
Francisco Rufino-Parra oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Francisco Rufino-Parra conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 06, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Parra discusses his family background and immigrating to the United States from Mexico in 1989. He recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1994 and describes his first impressions of the city. Parra then talks about his employment at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino as a dishwasher, being promoted, and becoming a member of Culinary Workers Union Local 226. He explains his role as shop steward for the Culinary Workers Union and describes the union strikes in 2018. Later, Parra discusses raising his three children in Las Vegas, living in a bilingual household, and how he has learned many languages from working in the hospitality industry. Lastly, Parra recalls visiting his birthplace and becoming a United States citizen.
Archival Collection
William J. Moore Jr. oral history interviews
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Oral history interviews with William J. Moore Jr. conducted by Elizabeth Nelson Patrick on May 05, 1981 and August 29, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In these interviews, Moore discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1941 to design and build the Last Frontier Hotel. Moore describes his work as an architect and recalls the other hotels he helped design. He then discusses purchasing mines in order to obtain their electrical components. Moore later discusses promoting and advertising for the Griffith theater chain and explains how he promoted before telecommunications. Later, Moore explains the designs of some of the structures he helped build. Lastly, Moore discusses the groups and organizations he was a member of, and recalls some of his memorable accomplishments.
Archival Collection
Jose Luis Vinas oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Jose Luis Vinas conducted by Nancy Hardy on May 27, 2003 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Vinas begins by describing his upbringing in Spain and his early interest in art. He discusses studying art and fashion design under his aunt, and later becoming a costume designer for stage shows in Paris, France. Vinas then describes moving to the United States to design costumes for the Casino de Paris and Vives Les Girls shows at the Dunes Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1960s and 1970s. Vinas talks about his experiences in show business and prominent people he has worked with, most notably Frederic Apcar, on productions over the years.
Archival Collection
Rosemary Cleman (Conner) oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Rosemary Cleman (Conner) conducted by Beatrice Owens (Gillard) on March 8, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Conner discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to become a teacher for emotionally disturbed children and assisting with the creation of the Nevada Girls Training Center. Conner also discusses the segregation of the African American community. The interview concludes with Conner discussing the reemergence of mining communities in Nevada and her close interaction with Nevada governors during her career in social services.
Archival Collection
Judge John F. Mendoza oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Judge John F. Mendoza conducted by an unnamed interviewer on the dates September 30, 2005, October 14, 2005, and October 21, 2005 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Mendoza talks about his early life and his childhood while growing up in the Westside area of Las Vegas, Nevada. He details the lives of his grandparents as they lived through the Mexican Revolution. Mendoza describes how he grew up in a diverse community that consisted of people from different backgrounds and cultures. A big part of his childhood was when he would sell newspapers to people in public places like bars. He talks about his career and explains that he completed and graduated from law school after being discharged from the United States Army. A crucial event that took place during Mendoza's time in law school was the rise of Communism, and he explains that students and professors in his law school had various perspectives on how Communism would influence the government.
Archival Collection
Nick Robone oral history interview: transcript
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Archival Collection
Description
Oral history interview with Nick Robone conducted by Claytee D. White and Barbara Tabach on December 21, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Nick Robone, born and raised in Nevada, details his process of healing after being shot during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. He discusses the events of that Sunday night and how he has learned to view life in a more positive light. Robone mentions various coping mechanisms that have helped him, including being open about his experience and talking about it with other survivors as well as pursuing his passions.
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