On March 27, 1977, collector Jeff Crampton interviewed accountant, Ruth E. Hazard (born June 25th, 1907 in Marshall, Michigan) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The interview takes place at the collector’s home and offers an overview of life in early Las Vegas from 1931 to 1977. The interview concludes with a discussion on local atomic testing.
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In this interview, conducted for the 50th anniversary of UNLV, Marta Sorkin discusses her family and her experience moving to California, and then to Las Vegas. Sorkin worked at the James R. Dickinson Library at UNLV and later in Lied Library, helping to implement and update various databases, and create displays on current topics. She briefly discusses her involvement with Hillel and the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas.
Marta Sorkin begins by reminiscing about her childhood in Far Rockaway Long Island, New York. She details the life her parents lived, which set an example for Marta and her two siblings. Through hard work, advanced education, and involvement in causes that were important to them, they created the template by which Marta lives her life. Marta describes her early work history, which included modeling, sales, library work, and working part time in her father's dry-cleaning plant. She and her daughter were living with her parents for a time in California, and they visited Las Vegas on weekends. It was during one of those visits that Marta met her second husband-to-be. They eventually married and decided to settle in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, Marta enrolled at UNLV, became involved with the Preservation Association of Clark County, and volunteered at the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas. In addition, she completed her BA and MA degrees at UNLV and started working at the university's library. She details her work there, including creating display cases, working in the reference section, doing research for students and faculty, and compiling interviews. Marta also describes the fundraisers she spearheaded to help raise money for the various societies she was involved with: non-events, pancake breakfasts, dinners, and dance and band performances. In her closing comments she mentions an interview she did for Ralph Roske's class and expresses her appreciation for the career she's had at UNLV.
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Interview with Shirley Edmond conducted by Claytee D. White on June 24, 2010. Born in Las Vegas, Edmond was the first African American woman in Southern Nevada promoted by the United States Post Office to be a supervisor. Edmond describes growing up in the Westside neighborhood of Las Vegas as the daughter of a local preacher. She shares memories of community stores, neighborhood landmarks, and her work at the Post Office and Matt Kelly Elementary School. Edmond's husband, Mackie, also contributes to the interview.
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Interview with Hattie Canty conducted by Claytee D. White on February 27, 1998. Hattie Canty worked as a hotel maid and was elected president of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 during the 1990s.
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Interview with Paul Pradia conducted by Claytee D. White on July 13, 2010. Pradia, who moved to Las Vegas in 1995, teaches golf and is a board member of 1st Tee of Southern Nevada and the Nevada Senior Games, working to promote women golfers. He remains an active member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
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Interview with Lonnie G. Wright conducted by Claytee D. White on October 23, 2009. Wright played basketball at UNLV and became a successful local educator and businessman. His grandmother worked as a maid for prominent Las Vegans.
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Interview with Roosevelt Toston conducted by Claytee D. White on July 11, 2006. Toston grew up in Epps, Louisiana, and came to Las Vegas in the 1950s as a teenager. He describes his experience at Las Vegas High School and the first jobs he held at the Fremont Hotel and the Nevada Test Site. Toston honed his skills at Dana McKay's School of Business, Bell Telephone of Nevada, and in the military. A correspondence course in broadcasting led to jobs at television stations 3 and 8, and ultimately to a position with the Convention Authority in the area of tourism marketing.
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This Asian American and Pacific Islander Day panel discussion, "Talking Stories: A Panel of the City of Las Vegas AAPI Committee," features six panelists and was moderated by Allycia B. Murphy, Deputy City Attorney, Office of the City Attorney, Criminal Division. Panelists include Cynthia Leung, Chief Judge for Las Vegas Municipal Court; Jennifer Rabanes, Recreation Coordinator at Centennial Hills Active Adult Center; Patricia Cabrera, Enterprise Records Officer, City Clerk's office; Joey Boquecosa, Equipment Operator, Public Works Department; Natasha Shahani, Senior Public Information Officer; and Gai Phanalasy, Multimedia Production Specialist. The panel was held at Las Vegas City Hall on May 11, 2023, following Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman's declaration of May 11, 2023, as "Asian American and Pacific Islander Day." Anticipating the proclamation, the City's AAPI employees formed the City of Las Vegas AAPI Committee to organize the City's first AAPI Appreciation Day at City Hall. The Committee invited several local AAPI performers, organizations, and social, cultural, and advocacy groups to celebrate, honor, and recognize the City's AAPI employees across all departments.
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