Oral history interview with Jackie Appledorn conducted by Patricia van Betten on January 30, 2007 and June 26, 2010 for the History of Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. Appledorn discusses the history of Blue Diamond Village, from it being a stop on the Old Spanish Trail to its expansion to a family town.
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 Ray Christian conducted by Russell Ellis on March 19, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Christian discusses race relations within schools, baseball teams, theatres, and Boy Scouts in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also talks about his custodial at the El Portal Theatre, the Las Vegas Westside neighborhood, and living through the Great Depression. Christian ends the interview discussing how white and black veterans helped improved race relations in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sara P. Denton conducted by Claytee D. White on July 13, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Denton discusses her work in charity activities in Boulder City, Nevada, especially Art in the Park. She also talks about working on political campaigns for Howard Cannon, Grant Sawyer, and Alan Bible in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alice Woodward conducted by an unnamed interviewer in 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Woodward discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1935 because her husband found a mining job in the state. She talks about her experiences teaching, the mining industry, and camping with her family. Woodward recalls her husband dying of asbestosis and discusses the smog levels in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Charles F. Razmic conducted by Michael Braddy on March 12, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Razmic discusses moving from West Homestead, Pennsylvania to Las Vegas, Nevada in July of 1954 for a teaching assignment at Basic High School. He discusses the changes in Las Vegas such as the growth of hotels and casinos as well as the increasing population and employment opportunities. Lastly, Razmic discusses football.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mario C. Monaco conducted by Kim Rhodes on March 12, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Monaco discusses moving from Montana to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. Monaco discusses his career in the U.S. Navy as well as his career in education. He also discusses changes in the education system, including the required competency test and changes in attendance policy.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Henry Shepherd conducted by Claytee D. White on October 22, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Shepherd discusses being an African-American bartender on the Las Vegas, Nevada Strip, hired as a result of the 1971 consent decree. He also recalls memories of Jackson Street, the homes in North Las Vegas, and the hotels in downtown Las Vegas and on the Strip.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Toshiyuki “George” Goto conducted by Christina Oda on February 26, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Goto first talks about his move to Nevada in 1951 before talking about his family, church activities, politics, and recreational activities. He then discusses the building, economic, and environmental changes in Las Vegas, Nevada. Goto later talks about his profession in landscaping, including the work he completed for some of the hotels and resorts built on the Las Vegas Strip. The latter part of the interview includes discussion about Goto’s Japanese ancestry and his perceptions as a minority when first moving to and living in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mike Smith conducted by Claytee D. White on August 17, 2018 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Smith discusses his early life in Santa Clara, California and his early interest in art. He describes the first drawings he did, drawing political cartoons, and drawing about controversial ideas. Smith remembers moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1983 and becoming the cartoonist for the
Archival Collection