Oral history with Marclem Hernandez conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Stefani Evans, and Claytee D. White on June 30, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Hernandez begins the interview by describing the lengthy immigration process throughout his childhood that separated him from his mother for five years, as they lived in both the Manila, Philippines and Las Vegas, Nevada. After switching schools several times while living in Las Vegas, Hernandez graduated from Southwest Career and Technical Academy before attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) for a degree in criminal justice. After graduating UNLV, Hernandez describes attending Georgia Southern University for a master's degree in higher education. He discusses his experience living in southern Georgia, embracing certain parts of the culture, and what switching to virtual education was like during the COVID-19 pandemic. After finishing his degree online in Las Vegas, Hernandez became President Keith Whitfield's assistant at UNLV. He discusses the close relationship he has developed with the president, including how they shaped his own aspirations.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Victor Wei conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Jerwin Tiu, and Stefani Evans on May 23, 2022 and June 06, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In the first interview, Wei recalls his early childhood, moving around China, and being part of a large family. Wei's life took a sudden turn when he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, and then to California where he had a difficult time navigating life as a Chinese individual. Wei and his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he continued his business consulting work and partnered with UNLV President Marta Meana on the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine. In the second interview, Wei discusses the importance of one's own narrative, and talks about how he perceives his race, community help, and the greater world. Wei also touches on how discrimination existed before the COVID-19 pandemic and how there must be a balance between retaining one's heritage and assimilation. Lastly, Wei discusses his spirituality, war, and human nature.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with So Ping "Suzy" Chan conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Jerwin Tiu, and Stefani Evans on May 20, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Wai-Mei Borgel served as an interpreter. In this interview, Chan describes her early life in Toisan, China, where her father owned a jewelry store but soon joined her grandfather in the United States. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chan recalls one of her brothers dying, and after the war their family left for Hong Kong, where Chan would grow up and finish her education. In 1963, Chan immigrated first to San Francisco, California, before moving down to Los Angeles, California, and working in a kitchen at a restaurant named Food to Go. After working various jobs in Los Angeles, Chan and her family eventually relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she would continue to work various culinary jobs and as a Pai Gow dealer. Chan discusses venturing into real estate and tells stories throughout the interview that reflect the hard-earned but fun-spirited life she has led.
Archival Collection
Oral history with Nympha Comacchio conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on May 09, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Comacchio recalls her childhood in the Philippines and growing up in a large family. After attending elementary school, Comacchio immediately went to work on her father's lumber farm, performing manual labor until she was seventeen. Later, she recalls finding employment as a seamstress in Manila, where she met her first husband when she left to work in Saudi Arabia for better pay. Comacchio describes how she was able to receive a student visa to finally immigrate to the United States, where she first arrived in California. Eventually, after meeting her second husband and hearing about housing prices in Las Vegas, Nevada, they purchased a house in the city in 2000. After briefly working for the New Frontier, Comacchio began working for the Wynn and Encore, where she found out about the Culinary Workers Union and became more active in that organization. Throughout the rest of the interview, Comacchio touches on the responsibilities of being a housekeeper, the current challenges they face, and how she feels about the growing AAPI population in southern Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Essie Shelton Jacobs conducted by Claytee White on February 01, 1996 and April 16, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Jacobs begins her interview discussing her immediate family and siblings in detail, and how they influenced her to move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963. Jacobs goes on to discuss finding work in Las Vegas and her job as a housekeeper at the Aladdin Hotel, where she and eventually became a supervisor. Jacobs discusses her experience at the Aladdin including the Culinary Union, gender discrimination, employment for African Americans, and encounters with celebrities. Jacobs goes on to describe the the Culinary Union Local 226 in more detail, discussing membership, strikes, and race relations.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Viola Johnson conducted by Claytee D. White on March 03, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Johnson discusses leaving Fordyce, Arkansas in 1942 to join her parents in Las Vegas, Nevada where her first home was a tent. Johnson goes on to discuss life with her parents in Las Vegas including their work and church activities. Johnson also describes her work at the Flamingo Hilton and Sands Hotel and Casino as a maid, and at the Riviera Hotel and Casino making sandwiches. Finally, Johnson talks about labor conditions and the Culinary Union during the early years of the Las Vegas Strip casino development.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Floyd Jenne conducted by Dennis McBride on various dates in March, April, and October of 1996 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. In the interviews, Jenne discusses his birth in Ogden, Utah in 1915, his early life in Northern Nevada in 1920s, and his later life in Boulder City, Nevada working as a reclamation ranger for the Bureau of Reclamation. Jenne begins the interviews discussing his work as a steel foundry worker and miner in McGill, Nevada, studying forestry, and enlisting in the Civilian Conservation Corps at Utah State University in 1934. Jenne then describes his experiences moving to Boulder City and working as a reclamation ranger. Other topics Jenne covers include providing security for notable Boulder City and Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam) visitors and patrolling the area. Lastly, Jeanne talks about the Boulder City Junior Chamber of Commerce, Boulder City's incorporation, and Boulder City law enforcement.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Barbara and Norman Kaye conducted by Claytee D. White on February 24, 2010, March 09, 2010, and December 06, 2011 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Barbara Kaye begins the interview by discussing her career as a showgirl and moving to Reno, Nevada in 1955 to work as a dancer in a show at the Mapes Hotel in 1955. She then talks about later moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to dance at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. She also describes living briefly in Hawaii with her husband, Norman Kaye, his career as a musician, and the life of a Las Vegas showgirl. Norman Kaye discusses his career as a musician in the Mary Kaye Trio with his sister, Mary Kaye. He recalls when they performed at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino, Tropicana Hotel, and Sahara Hotel and Casino, as well as his songwriting outside of the group and being named the poet laureate of Nevada by Governor Grant Sawyer. Lastly, he talks about his career in real estate and his company, Norman Kaye Real Estate.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Kevin M. Kelly conducted by Dennis McBride on September 08 and 22; and November 10, 2000 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. In the interviews, Kelly talks about his family and early life in Boston, Massachusetts with a focus on his Catholic upbringing. He recalls his law education, serving in the United States Army during the Vietnam War for eleven years, and discovering his sexuality in 1966 while working in the Boston City Hospital. Kelly then describes being discharged from the military due to allegations of being gay, and his family's reaction. He then recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1978, where he was involved in a robbery and shooting incident with a male sex worker in 1982. Kelly goes on to recall the trial that proceed the incident and how it publicly outed him. He details how he was charged with felony sodomy and ultimately lost his job as a result of the trial. Finally, he talks about serving on a task force to investigate bias in Nevada's court system in 1992 and being honored in 1994 by the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada for his work.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Valda and Esper Esau conducted by Su Kim Chung on February 20, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, the Espers discuss their careers in entertainment. Valda Esper begins by describing her upbringing in Australia, learning to dance, and later going on to perform in various productions in Paris, France, as well as other European countries, before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958 to perform as a showgirl at the Stardust Resort and Casino. Esper Esau then describes his personal history, how he developed stage hand experience, moving to Las Vegas in 1954, and working shows with prominent performers, such as Liberace, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin. Esper continues, describing his specific job duties and why he transferred to the Stardust from the Sands Hotel & Casino. Valda discusses the life of a Las Vegas showgirl, the amount of work the position required, and how they were required to present themselves in public. The Espers recall how they met, life in Las Vegas during the 1960s, and opening a bed and breakfast after retiring from show business.
Archival Collection