Oral history interviews with Mando Rueda conducted by David Schwartz on September 02, 2003, September 04, 2003, September 09, 2003, September 12, 2003, September 25, 2003, October 02, 2003, October 09, 2003, October 23, 2003, and November 20, 2003 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In these interviews, Rueda discusses his career in the gaming industry. He talks about serving in the United States military during the 1950s and becoming a slot machine repair manager for Harrah’s properties in Reno, Nevada and in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Rueda recalls his relationship with Bill Harrah, being promoted to shift manager in 1970, and the methods of surveillance used before security cameras. Later, Rueda discusses the impact on casino operations after the passing of Bill Harrah in 1978, and becoming director of gaming. He remembers obtaining a gaming license to operate in New Jersey, and the opening of Harrah’s Marina in Atlantic City. Lastly, Rueda talks about the gaming industry in Las Vegas, Nevada and compares casino operations from the 1970s to the late 1990s.
Archival Collection
African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project event roundtable conducted by Claytee D. White on January 18, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this panel event, Jean Childs, Joe Neal, Jackie Brantley, LaVerne Ligon, and Ramon Savoy discuss their early lives and explain how they arrived to Las Vegas, Nevada. Childs talks about her father’s business, the Penguin Club, and the history of African Americans in the gaming industry. She talks about her involvement with the Economic Opportunity Board (EOB) and the Head Sstart federal program. Savoy remembers the foundation of
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Michael Arage conducted by Dalton DuPré on November 12, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
In this interview, Michael Arage discusses his upbringing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario, Canada with his sister and his Filipino-Palestinian heritage. He talks about how his parents immigrated to the United States, his life and education in Toronto, and his relocation to Los Angeles, California where he married his wife. Michael Arage shares how the couple moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2012 when his wife started a job at Zappos. Because he lacked a work visa, Michael Arage began playing poker and working in sports betting. In 2019, he founded a community organization to support the people of Palestine, called Nevadans for Palestinian Human Rights. Michael Arage talks about his activism efforts, anti-Arab racism, his cultural upbringing, and of Filipino and Arabic foods and customs. He also shares his views of living in Las Vegas, the difficulties of raising a child away from her cousins, and differing governmental policies and healthcare between Canada and the United States.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Merle Frehner conducted by Elisabeth Nelson Patrick January 17, 1981 and January 19, 1981 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In the first interview, Frehner talks about his upbringing in Littlefield, Arizona and moving to St. Thomas, Nevada. He talks about driving heavy-duty freight wagons, transporting mining supplies, and the formation of a school district in St. Thomas. Frehner remembers the entertainment in St. Thomas during the 1920s, recreational activities, and commuting to Overton, Nevada to attend high school. Lastly, Frehner describes the local businesses in St. Thomas, miners residing in the town, and the town’s growing popularity after the construction of Arrowhead Trail (U. S. Highway 91). In the last interview, Frehner discusses transporting produce to Las Vegas, Nevada and Tonopah, Nevada during the late 1920s, the construction of Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead water levels overtaking St. Thomas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Don Snyder conducted by Stefani Evans on April 20, 2017, July 28, 2017, September 26, 2017, January 09, 2018, and March 14, 2018 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In these interviews, Snyder discusses his early life and arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1987. He talks about First Interstate Bank, his involvement with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Foundation, and his career in banking. Snyder describes banking regulations, his resignation from First Interstate Bank, and the opening of Bank West of Nevada (Bank of Nevada) in 1994. He talks about the Downtown Progress Association, Fremont Street Experience, and joining Boyd Gaming. Snyder discusses his career at UNLV and serving as Dean of the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality from 2010 to 2013. Lastly, Snyder is joined by Bo Bernhard, the Executive Director for the UNLV International Gaming Institute. The two discuss UNLV's involvement in building Allegiant Stadium, the creation of the Campus Improvement Authority Board, and their goal to move UNLV toward Tier 1 status.
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 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 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 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.
Archival Collection
The Jarbidge, Nevada Community Archives Collection contains scanned images from seven archival collections and document the community of Jarbidge, Nevada from approximately 1910 to 2006. The materials were collected from various families living in Jarbidge in 2006 as part of a project led by Carrie Townley Porter. The images depict early Jarbidge structures, surrounding landscape, the Elkoro Mine, and residents of the area. Also included are images of certificates, correspondence, and newspaper articles relating to the families' histories. Also included in the collection are written summaries of ten oral history interviews of Jarbidge residents conducted in 2006. This collection contains digital surrogates only; the owners and Jarbidge Community Archives retain the originals.
Archival Collection