The Margo Mansergh Papers (approximately 1920-2010) document the life of former showgirl and dancer Margaret "Margo" Mansergh Tomaszewski. Materials include photographs of Margo modeling, backstage at various shows, portraits, and personal family photographs as well as programs from her international career performing in the Lido de Paris and Pigalle Nightclub in London, as well as a number of shows in Las Vegas, Nevada, such as Vive Les Girls, Casino de Paris, Minsky's Burlesque, and Lido de Paris at the Stardust. The collection contains materials from Mansergh's modeling career, including photographs, book covers, and images of her as an extra in films. Digital images from the closing Stardust performance and an event for Miss Bluebell are also found in the collection.
Oral history interview with Astrid Silva conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Barbara Tabach on April 22, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Astrid Silva was born in Gomez Palacio, Durango in 1988. She immigrated with her mother to the United States in 1992, where they were met by her father before flying to Los Angeles. She recounts her first impression of the United States and her families eventual move to Las Vegas, where she describes her time living in Las Vegas’ west side and struggles she faced being an undocumented student living in Las Vegas. She describes her first meeting with Senator Harry Reid and the friendship that developed afterwards. She has spoken at the Democratic National Convention and has been vocal about her status as a Dreamer. She is currently the Executive Director for DREAM Big Nevada which was established in 2017 in order to provide aid to Nevada’s immigrant families. She writes about her hopes for Dreamers and her continued work in expanding the ways that immigrant families can be helped in an always changing political climate. Subjects discussed include: DACA, Dreamers, Immigrant Rights, and Higher Education.
Oral history interview with Mayra Salinas-Menjivar conducted by Nathalie Martinez, Elsa Lopez, and Barbara Tabach on September 20, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Mayra Salinas-Menjivar is a lawyer in Southern Nevada and a graduate of William S. Boyd School of Law. She grew up in Las Vegas but describes her early years living with her maternal grandparents in El Salvador. She describes some of the aftermath she experienced regarding the Civil War in El Salvador, and recounts some testimony told to her by her mother about that particular time period. She details the differences in immigrating in the 1990s and speaks about being an undocumented student. While pursuing a business degree at UNLV she found herself working at a law firm which is where she first decided to pursue law as a career after graduation. She talks about her experiences during law school and her time helping with the law school’s immigration clinic. Subjects discussed include: Salvadorian Civil War, Immigration Law, Education, DACA, William S. Boyd Law School.
Oral history interview with Stavan Corbett conducted by Nathalie Martinez on November 5, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Barbara Tabach and Rodrigo Vazquez also participate in the questioning. Stavan Corbett is a member of the Latino community who has served as an educator and politician in Las Vegas. Growing up in Las Vegas, Stavan was exposed to various environments that all helped him shape his Latino identity. Stavan was able to appreciate the Catholic and Jewish cultures as well. During the 1970s and '80s his experiences with first and second generation Latinos played a large role in his identity formation, especially as a student. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school and college. Stavan worked in the hotel industry and moved on to work with troubled youth and eventually become a member of the Nevada State Board and the Clark County School Board. His continued work with the Latin Chamber of Commerce has also allowed him to be involved with the Latino Youth Leadership Conference. Subjects discussed include: Identity Struggle, Interracial Relationships, Working in the Hotel Industry, Clark County School District, and Cultural Assimilation.
Oral history interview with Carol Harter conducted by Claytee D. White on June 18, 2021 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
Carol Harter is the longest-serving President of UNLV, from 1995 until 2006. The campus experienced unprecedented growth during that time, including the addition of a new, very large library. Harter grew the campus from 19,000 to 28,000 students, added 23 new or completely renovated buildings to the campus, and with a student-centered focus, added more than 100 new degree programs. Two professional schools, the Dental School and Boyd School of Law, added greatly to the prestige and academic Top Tier status of UNLV.
Her partnership with Glenn Schaeffer, former president of the Mandalay Resort Group, assisted in the early work of the Black Mountain Institute (BMI) Modern Letters program. BMI is an international think tank dedicated to advancing literary and cross-cultural dialogue. This was an important goal to Harter and Schaeffer, who were both literature majors. Harter also discusses many community members who made an impact on UNLV including Joe Crowley and Dr. Juanita Fain.
Oral history interview with Barbara Jean Drew conducted by Claytee D. White on May 17, 2021 for African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Barbara Drew is the Dean of the Academy for Ministers, teaches Bible study, and performs other spiritual work at New Jerusalem Worship Center. Drew migrated to Las Vegas from Fortune Fork, Louisiana, just two miles outside the city limits of Tallulah.
This interview covers life in the Black community beginning when Drew arrived in 1961. She spoke about the importance of businesses like the Brown Derby, Hamburger Heaven, and the Town Tavern that hosted jazz on Sunday afternoons with a dance floor that she enjoyed. She discussed her first job running American Linen, a Dry Cleaners owned by Phil Shapiro; Shapiro mentored Drew, teaching her about business operations, purchasing property for her family, bookkeeping, and the importance of having a bank account. She also spoke of a neighborhood where neighbors helped neighbors and opportunities that flourished throughout the Black community. Subjects discussed include: Jackson Ave, Town Tavern, New Jerusalem Worship Center, Kasper Park, Berkley Square, and Phil Shapiro.
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.
Oral history interview with Isaac Barrón conducted by Maribel Estrada Calderón and Claytee D. White on March 27, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Isaac Barrón was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. His father entered the United States as a Bracero. Barrón attended Rancho High School and earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education from UNLV. He currently teaches history at Rancho High School and serves as North Las Vegas' Councilman. In this oral history, Barrón recalls his youth in North Las Vegas, navigating the presence of gangs, and his path to being a community activist and advocate for North Las Vegas youth. He has led volunteer efforts for community improvement projects, including the plans for a new public library. He holds the distinction of being the first Latinx member of the North Las Vegas City Council and Southern Nevada's first Hispanic Mayor Pro Tempore. In 2013, he was elected to represent Ward 1 and was reelected for a second term in April 2017. He discusses being Mexican American, the Coalition of Pan American Organizations, the Hispanic Student Union, the Bracero Program, and Rancho High School.
The Thomas L. Morgan Real Estate Development Records (1971-1997) relate to commercial and residential real estate development, primarily in Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. Materials consist of Hughes Development/Summa Corporation projects including the Hughes Center and Playa Vista in Los Angeles, California, and Summerlin and the Hughes Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are also extensive records related to the financing and development of Green Valley Ranch and Lake Las Vegas, projects Morgan helped develop through his private company, Thomas Morgan & Associates. Also represented are a number of casino-related projects for the Sands, the Frontier, the Landmark, and the Westgate hotel-casinos. Additional materials include general business records, handwritten notes and memoranda, and correspondence; Summa financial papers and forecasts; books on finance and a 1982 Desert Inn Master Plan architectural portfolio.
The Nevada-Utah Mines and Smelters Corporation Records (1889-1949) are comprised of the financial records of the company's activity regarding the Manhattan mine in Pioche, Lincoln County, Nevada. The collection contains bank records, accounts, and some correspondence, and is generally related to the company's financial activities. It also includes the company's financial vouchers, bills, receipts, and checks.