Oral history interview with Helen Smith conducted by Emily Powers on March 04, 2008 for the Heart to Heart Oral History Project. Smith discusses working as a nurse at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital, which is now the University Medical Center, and for the Nevada State Industrial Insurance System. She also talks about the Eighth Street Hospital, St. Rose de Lima Hospital in Henderson, Nevada, and Sunrise Hospital.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Francisco Miranda conducted by Claytee D. White on January 28, 2022 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, describes his large family and growing up on the Eastside of Las Vegas and spending summers in Mexico on the family farm. Miranda is an organizer, business agent, and political coordinator for the Teamsters Union. He describes coming from a "union family" - his mother in Culinary and father in the Laborers Union. He shares how despite not completing high school, he started at the Teamsters in 2014, soon became a shop steward, and in 2016 when a 10-week stike was called, he worked as strike captain coordinating the line of picketers. Afterwards, he became Chief Steward and was then hired to work with the Teamsters.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with George Pollak conducted by Lisa Gioia-Acres on May, 25, 2010 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. Pollak discusses breaking into the music industry and attending accounting school and working as an accountant while still performing in clubs. He also discusses playing with his band at Caesars Palace Hotel and the Tropicana Hotel, African-Americans in the music industry, and drug use among musicians. Pollak then discusses how Las Vegas, Nevada has changed, in terms of the entertainment industry.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Greg Phelps conducted by Claytee D. White on November 15, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Greg Phelps discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2002 for work and attending the 2017 Route 91 Harvest festival with his mother and wife. He describes the event venue as well as his recollection of the shooting. Phelps explains how his life changed after that day, describing the true friendships he gained and his greater appreciation for living.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William G. Flangas conducted by David Emerson on September 27, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview William Flangas speaks about working for Reynolds Electric/Engineering Company, being appointed to the State Public Works Board, and being an intermediary for communication between the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Reynolds Electric/Engineering Company, and the State Public Works Board.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Steven Kwon conducted by Stefani Evans on October 1, 2024 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Kwon begins by describing his childhood in Seoul, Korea as the youngest of three children during the Korean conflict. In 1960, he served his compulsory military service, which was 18 months for students. In 1964, he followed a friend's recommendation to go to Denmark and attend the folk high school (now the International People's College) to immerse himself in the Danish language, history, and community. He spent one year at the folk high school and later attended the College of Building Technology at the University of Denmark. While he was in his final year, Las Vegas, Nevada architect James McDaniel recruited him to join his firm, which he did in December 1974. After working with McDaniel for one year, he joined Jack Miller Associates for three years and David Welles/Architronics before opening his own design/build firm, GKG Builders in 1986, which he claims was the first Las Vegas firm to offer both services. Soon after arriving in Las Vegas, he joined the Lions Club and Rotary International and, in 1986 created Southern Nevada's first Asian Chamber of Commerce. He also worked with various politicians at different levels of government to encourage South Korean investment in Las Vegas and Nevada, eventually forming a sister-city relationship between Las Vegas, Nevada, and An San, Korea. Lastly, Kwon recalls how he came to design and build the International Peace Education Center (IPEC) on Bermuda Road for the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, shortly before Moon passed away.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with the family of Joe Louis conducted by Claytee D. White on November 18, 2014 and February 06, 2015 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In these interviews, the family of Joe Louis discuss his life and career as a famous African American boxer from the 1930s to 1950s. They describe charity fights he held to raise money for the Navy Relief Fund during World War II, which later became an issue for him when the Internal Revenue Service claimed he still owed taxes on the money he raised despite it being donated. The family discusses what it was like growing up and meeting celebrity friends of Louis', such as Frank Sinatra and Muhammad Ali, Louis' involvement with the Moulin Rouge Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Louis' status as an African American sports hero. They also detail his eventual retirement from boxing, his job working as a greeter at Caesars Palace, and his death.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Thelma Aiken (formerly Thelma C. Liggitt b. 1899) conducted by Patrica Gaydosh on April 05, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Born in Osceola, Iowa, Aiken discusses moving to Henderson in 1942. Aiken also offers in-depth descriptions of housing, schools, early above ground atomic tests, gambling, and the closing down of the Basic Magnesium (BMI) Plant in Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Michelle DiTondo conducted by Vanessa Concepcion on November 9, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
Michelle talks about her parents' experiences living in Osaka, Japan during the war, and the circumstances of her move as a child to Nellis Air Force base in 1972. She discusses living in North Las Vegas and her experiences being part of an air force family. Michelle shares stories of her life on the base and her interactions with other air force families. She also talks about her Japanese culture, foods she has cooked with her mother and brother, celebrating cultural events in light of the pandemic, and her career history including her most recent role working at MGM Resorts International.
Subjects discussed include: Air Force Base; NCO Club; AAPI Scholarship Fund; Taiko Drums.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dean Pulsipher conducted by Dennis McBride on August 19, 1986 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. In this interview, Pulsipher discusses his early life in St. Thomas, Nevada and Bunkerville, Nevada. He remembers traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada as early as 1905, moving to Las Vegas in the early 1920s, and the significance of the railroad at the time. Pulsipher describes living through the prohibition era, paving the road from Las Vegas to Searchlight, Nevada, and the construction of the Hoover Dam.
Archival Collection