Oral history interview with William Wells conducted by David Emerson on May 22, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview, William Wells, the first dean of engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1986 to join UNLV. He also describes building the engineering departments, obtaining accreditation, recruiting, salaries, and faculty turnover. He then talks about diversity in the department, the successes of UNLV engineering graduates, and attracting minority groups to engineering.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Edelweiss Solano conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Jerwin Tiu, and Stefani Evans on August 25, 2022 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Solano discusses her childhood in the Philippines and later studying business administration in college to help her family's business. Solano met and married her husband, and the couple moved to the United States for work opportunities. In addition to volunteering for a number of organizations, Solano works for the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Throughout the interview, Solano touches on cultural celebrations, the immigration process, her parents, and the biggest issue facing the AAPI community today.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William W. Boyd conducted by Theresa Bradley on February 26, 1981 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. Boyd discusses his involvement in the gaming industry of Las Vegas, Nevada. Boyd talks specifically about his experiences with five-card stud poker and his introduction of poker games without dealers to the poker room. Boyd also talks about his role as poker room manager at the Golden Nugget and how he was present to open the room when the casino first opened.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mustafa Richards conducted by Claytee D. White on March 10, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. He discusses working as the only black bellman at the time for the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino and became the first African American bell captain. He also discusses his wife working for the Las Vegas, Nevada Clark County Library District for thirty years. Mustafa then discusses becoming a Muslim in the early 1990s and being appointed to be an Imam, a mosque officer, soon afterwards.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary K. Rymer conducted by Mary Fitzgerald on May 04, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Rymer discusses her career as a nurse in Las Vegas, Nevada, which began at Clark County Hospital. Rymer tells several anecdotes of her experiences during her career, and discusses how hospitals have changed and evolved in Las Vegas. Rymer goes on to discuss her short retirement from nursing, before returning to the profession after being hired as a nurse for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Patricia Deverell conducted by Patrick Kiser on April 26, 1986 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. Deverell discusses the various population and climate changes that she has witnessed in Nevada, as well as major events such as the above-ground atomic testing. Deverell also mentions her occupation in the gaming industry and describes some of the changes in the industry over time.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jerry Lockhart conducted by O’Sheyon Rollins on April 17, 2015 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Lockhart discusses his personal history and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965 after transferring to Nevada Southern University (now University of Nevada, Las Vegas). He talks of his impressions of the city at the time, his first accounting job at Southwest Gas Corporation, and his employment with the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) in the 1970s. Lockhart then recalls being the first African American Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Nevada in 1977 and being appointed to the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1983. Later, Lockhart discusses the process to qualify for employment as a CPA and owning a CPA firm in the 1980s. Lastly, he describes West Las Vegas businesses and shares his thoughts on the growth of the Westside.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Leo Lewis conducted by Elizabeth Nelson Patrick on November 26, 1984 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Lewis discusses the creation of the College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Lewis talks about Jerome Vallen becoming the dean of the College of Hotel Administration and the overall growth of UNLV. Lewis describes his career as a casino executive and later, in 1967, as a professor of management at UNLV.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Gertrude Greenblatt conducted by Dario Gratini on March 01, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Gertrude Greenblatt discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, family life in Las Vegas, working in the Las Vegas food industry and resort industry, landmarks of the city, and the growth of Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with George Bach conducted by Mary R. Parrish on February 27, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bach discusses topics such as the Nevada Test Site, the Alamo, African Americans in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Carpentry Union of 1980, and Fong’s Garden.
Archival Collection