Oral history interview with Claude, Buddy, and Skip Trenier conducted by Betty Rosenthal on March 10, 1978 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection.
In this interview, Claude, Buddy, and Skip Trenier, members of the musical group "The Treniers", discuss their experiences performing on the Las Vegas Strip as Black men. They share their group's history playing music at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino and other establishments in Las Vegas, Nevada beginning in 1948. Their discussion covers not only their performing careers but also their experiences with desegregation, racism, and discrimination in the city of Las Vegas.
Claude, Buddy, and Skip Trenier share their accounts of both being a popular act in Las Vegas, requested by out-of-towners from New York and Chicago, and also how they were nearly fired for refusing to play music when noticing customers of color being treated unfairly at their shows. The trio talk about how they could not enter casinos from the front entrance, how most casinos did not formally desegregate until after 1960, and how there were very few Black entertainers, musicians, or dancers during the mid-20th century with a few notable exceptions including Sammy Davis Jr.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Janet Quillan and Andra Fione conducted by Gayle Allen for the KDWN Radio Lifelines Oral History Interviews on Nursing.
This interview is undated but likely took place between 1988 and 1999, the time span that "Lifelines with Gayle Allen" was taped by KDWN Radio.
Janet Quillan, a family and pediatric nurse practitioner, and Andra Fione, a pediatric nurse practitioner at University Medical Center, discuss the profession of nursing, how this career path has changed over time, and their specific roles as nurse practitioners in the field of medicine.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alfred J. O'Donnell Jr. conducted by Kenneth "K. J." Evans on October 20, 1998 for the Las Vegas Review-Journal First 100 Oral History Project. In the interview, O'Donnell discusses his parents, his early life in Boston, Massachusetts, and his education at Northeastern University. He then talks about serving in World War II and his work with Dr. Herbert Grier and EG&G, formally known as Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc. O'Donnell recalls the corporation's creation, its function as a United States national defense contractor, and his experiences arming and performing final checks and connections for atomic bombs at the Nevada Test Site. He also discusses public opinions on atomic testing and the transition from atmospheric testing to underground testing.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Tony F. Sanchez III conducted by Barbara Tabach and Claytee D. White on August 31, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Sanchez describes his role as the Senior Vice President of NV Energy, and his past experience working for Senator Richard Bryan. He discusses his educational background as a University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) graduate and attending Arizona State University Law School. Sanchez also describes his role as a past president of Latin Chamber of Commerce in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Text
Oral history interview with Margarita Rebollal conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo and Barbara Tabach on February 28, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Margarita Rebollal is a lifelong community organizer and advocate for Latinx civic engagement and rights. She shares what it was like to grow up in Ponce, Puerto Rico and shares her childhood memories growing up on the island with her siblings. Rebollal also discusses the death of her father and the eventual move of her family to New York City, New York. She also recalls her education and teen years. Later, she would move to California, and eventually find her way to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996. Rebollal discusses her passion for civic engagement and the many years serving the community, being most well-known for her role in founding the Puerto Rican Association of Las Vegas and the Hispanic International Day Parade of Nevada. Rebollal also discusses her campaign for the Ward 1 Las Vegas City Council seat.
Text
Oral history interviews with Edmund Uehling and Marlon Tinana conducted by Dennis McBride on March 14, 21, and 22, 2000 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In the first interview, Uehling discusses his early life in Boulder City, Nevada, his time as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, becoming aware of his sexuality, and his involvement with the founding of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada in 1992. In the second interview, Uehling and Tinana discuss investing in Las Vegas, Nevada gay community real estate beginning in 1988. They also discuss purchasing and managing business properties, including the Gipsy and The Cave nightclubs. In the third interview, Uehling and Tinana recall Uehling's attempt at running for Clark County, Nevada Sheriff in 1994 and memories of confronting police while managing their business properties. Finally, they discuss managing Bright Pink Literature bookstore (later known as Get Booked).
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with June Monroe and Kazuko Atomura conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on July 14 and July 19, 2022 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In the first interview, Kazuko Atomura describes her childhood in Taiwan and Tokyo, Japan, and shares both happy and difficult mememories of that time. Atomura eventually moved to Los Angeles, California, where she reconnected with a man she previously met in Japan. She married him and together had their daughter, June Monroe, and another son while living in Corpus Christi, Texas. After difficult medical procedures involving Atomura's husband and Monroe's younger brother, Brian, the family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. Monroe recalls attending Las Vegas High School and Bonanza High School, and the struggle of making new friends as a young person.
In the second interview, the mother and daughter discuss racism, discrimination, and identity. Kazuko Atomura recalls her many experiences with discrimination as a result of both her appearance and language barriers. June Monroe discusses how she came to be proud of her Japanese heritage, while Atomura discusses some of the community activities she has been involved in since living in Las Vegas including the Japanese Culture Club and odori dancing. Then, both Atomura and Monroe discuss Monroe's brother, Brian, who received two kidney transplants; one from Monroe's father and one from Monroe herself. Atomura talks about the shrines she has built for Brian, the experience of him being on dialysis, care taking, and his final days. Monroe shares about her activism with organ donation, being regularly involved with the Nevada Donor Network and helping to pass significant pieces of legislation within the area of organ donation.
Digital audio available; no transcript available.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dana Su Lee conducted by Stefani Evans, Vanessa Concepcion, and Cecilia Winchell on February 10, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Dana talks about her childhood growing up in California and her parents who were both born in China. She discusses her educational background and her move to Las Vegas with her husband in 1997. Dana also shares her various community and philanthropic pursuits related to education and the arts. Subjects discussed include: Greg Lee; otherness; Nevada Women's Philanthropy (NWP)
Text
Oral history interview with Bobbie and Cody Lin Jones conducted by Claytee D. White on December 9, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Bobbie and Cody Lin Jones, mother and daughter, discuss their love for country music and their experience going to the Route 91 Harvest music festival in 2017. Bobbie describes how her military training helped her and her daughter survive the shooting of that weekend, and both discuss what they had seen during the shooting. Bobbie and Cody Lin talk about adjusting to life after the event and the little things that have changed in their day-to-day living.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Edwina and Johnnie E. Richardson Jr. conducted by Claytee D. White on September 29, 2021 for African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project.
Johnnie and Edwina Richardson share their story of meeting in Las Vegas, falling in love, and operating the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church originally established by Johnnie's father. The couple talk about their previous employment in the gaming industry before working full time with the church and their various responsibilities and outreach efforts within the community. Johnnie and Edwina also discuss Windsor Park and the circumstances of saving their home when houses in the neighborhood began sinking, as well as the impacts they saw on other families who weren't so lucky.
Archival Collection