Oral history interview with Jack LeVine conducted by Suzanne Becker on June 28, 2007 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park neighborhood Oral History Project. LeVine discusses being a real estate agent and a gay man living in Las Vegas, Nevada since moving there in the 1980s.
Oral history interview with Aquiles Garcia conducted by Claytee D. White on January 10 and February 20, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Garcia discusses the political atmosphere and risks of being gay in Juan Perón’s Argentina in the 1940s, Las Vegas, Nevada life in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and his dual Las Vegas careers as a dancer and a casino dealer throughout the second half of the twentieth century.
Oral history interview with Valorie J. Vega conducted by Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez on November 19, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Vega discusses her upbringing in Van Nuys, California. She describes her father’s employment with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, her attendance at California State University, Northridge, and majoring in Spanish with a minor in Chicano studies. Vega recalls entering a master’s program for Spanish interpretation, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1978, and becoming a supervisor for court interpreters. Later, Vega talks about enrolling in law school at the University of Southern California (USC), working as a Clark County deputy attorney, and later becoming a judge. Lastly, Vega discusses her experience being a female Hispanic judge, and her involvement with the Huellas Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Oral history interview with Pat Spearman conducted by Lisa McAllister on March 03, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Spearman discusses her experiences in the military and becoming a minister at United Methodist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes what it was like to serve in the military as a gay woman and telling church members about her sexuality. Spearman then talks about the African American gay community in Las Vegas and the intersectionality of race, class, religion, sexuality, and politics. Lastly, Spearman discusses her plans to get re-elected as a Nevada State Senator.
Oral history interviews with Dennis McBride conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on various dates in March, April, and May 2023 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. McBride goes into detail in this 4-session interview and covers a wide variety of topics, including: the history of Boulder City, working at various cultural institutions in Las Vegas, the evolution of the LGBTQ+ community in Las Vegas, researching his own history and publishing a book, and local advocacy groups. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
Oral history interview with Jonathan Sparer conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on August 29, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Sparer discusses his involvement in the Jewish, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) communites, and his career as an architect in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also talks about working on projects that included The Mirage Hotel and Casino, the Congregation Ner Tamid, and The Center (The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada).
Oral history interview with Larry Cooper conducted by Claytee D. White on March 05, 2018 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Cooper discusses his early life in Las Vegas, Nevada and growing up in the Westside. He talks about his educational experiences in Las Vegas, attending the Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College (now University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff), and teaching mathematics. Cooper recalls his employment at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, becoming Vice President of Emerging Markets, and relocating around the United States for work. He remembers moving back to Las Vegas in the mid-2000s, his friendship with civil rights leader Jimmy Gay, and the contributions Gay made for the African American community. Cooper describes Westside businesses, and casinos on Jackson Street. Lastly, Cooper discusses the future of the Westside.