Oral history interviews with Mahamed Youssouf conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 06, 2013 and August 13, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Youssouf discusses his childhood in Harar, Ethiopia and living there during the Ethiopia and Somalia conflict in the late 1970s. He recalls the Russian invasion into Ethiopia and the communist agenda that was enforced as a result. Youssouf then describes his involvement in student and community led protests and how he ended up in a refugee camp in Djibouti. He talks about his life in Djibouti as a tailor and his struggles finding permanent refuge. Youssouf discusses his acceptance into the United States as a refugee, arriving in New York, New York in 1980, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1985. Lastly, Youssouf talks about his store in North Las Vegas, Uniform Plus, and the African American experience in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Sherwin Garside conducted by David Anderson on March 25, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Garside discusses his father’s newspaper business and his personal knowledge of the early mining that took place in different parts of Nevada. He also talks about living in the town of Tonopah, Nevada, the Native Americans who lived in the area, and his experiences from living in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Oral history interview with Theodore Garrett conducted by Marilyn Swanson on March 2, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Garrett discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to work for Six Companies during the construction of Hoover Dam, his job as a truck driver, the wages paid at the time, and the construction in Boulder City, Nevada. Garrett also mentions the food provided to the workers, the recreational activities available, and his family’s move to Boulder City.
Oral history interview with Gaelan Felt conducted by Perry Kaufman in approximately 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Felt describes working at the Nevada Test Site and the effect the site had on Las Vegas, Nevada. Felt explains why Nevada was chosen as the location for the site, how they tested nuclear weapons, and how the local residents responded to the tests with varying levels of concern. He also talks about other aspects of the test site's history, such as workers' housing, and how Las Vegas has developed and changed.
Oral history interview with Brittney Erickson conducted by Claytee D. White on August 14, 2015 for the Building a Las Vegas Tech Culture oral history project. In this interview, Erickson talks about growing up in Henderson in a household that pursued the family-owned business, her education and work as a teacher, and "The Spirit Project", a web-based software tool that links government agencies to people with social challenges.
Oral history interviews with Alma Whitney conducted by Claytee D. White on March 03, 1996 and May 28, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Whitney opens the interview by talking about her life in Tallulah, Louisiana. She discusses race relations in Tallulah and how she traveled from Tallulah to Las Vegas, Nevada. Whitney describes her first job as a maid at the Desert Moon Motel, and her move later to the Desert Inn Hotel. Whitney discusses her career of over 30 years at the Desert Inn along with her promotion from maid to supervisor. Whitney also describes a time when Desert Inn employees went on strike for three weeks.
Oral history interviews with Tyrone L. Seals conducted by Claytee D. White and Sarah Beth Hawkins on April 25, 2016 and May 16, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In the first interview, Seals discusses his upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada and growing up in the Westside. He talks about experiencing discrimination, employment limitations, and entertainment on Jackson Street. In the second interview, Seals remembers school integration, organizations for African American women, and protests during the 1960s. Lastly, Seals discusses the significance of religion in the African American community and becoming a pastor.
Oral history interview with Pete Menefee conducted by Su Kim Chung on April 14, 2016 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Menefee begins the interview by talking about his childhood in San Diego, California, where he took dancing classes starting at the age of ten. He discusses working as a dancer on shows starring Dick Van Dyke, Terry Gar, Goldie Hawn, and Elvis. Menefee recalls working in shows and musicals including Bye Bye Birdie, Fair Lady, and Viva Las Vegas. He describes his evolution as a costume designer and stage designer from his childhood creating miniature stages of Disney shows to creating costumes for shows on the Las Vegas Strip, Nevada. He also talks about surviving the MGM Grand fire in 1980.
Oral history interview with Joseph C. Mattingly conducted by Sean Powers on February 23, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Mattingly discusses moving back and forth between Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada during the 1930s and 1940s before finally settling in Las Vegas in 1954. Mattingly also discusses his life as a sheet metal worker for commercial buildings, Las Vegas Strip hotels, and buildings on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus.
Oral history interview with Fred Goldberg conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 03, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Fred Goldberg shares his experience of flying to Las Vegas, Nevada on October 1, 2017 while the mass shooting occurred on the Strip as well as his eventual arrival in Las Vegas. He describes the changes in travel after the shooting, including the plane's diverted course due to the McCarran airport lockdown and the enforced luggage check at his hotel in Las Vegas. Goldberg discusses his confusion regarding what had happened and his discovery of the tragic events that had occurred.