Rejoyce Williams was born April 26, 1905 in Fordyce, Arkansas. She left Fordyce when she was 17 for Oceanside, California, with her husband and their two children. The family then moved to Saginaw, Michigan, and eventually had nine children, six of whom survived. In 1960, the Williams family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada for two reasons: their youngest daughter, who suffered from asthma, needed to live in a dry climate and Williams’ mother-in-law lived in Las Vegas.
Person
Oral history interview with Regina Cone, Lotea Cone, and Maurice Cone conducted by Claytee D. White on March 01, 2018 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Lotea discusses her upbringing in Fordyce, Arkansas and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1953. She remembers the Westside during the late 1950s and discusses businesses in that area. Maurice talks about growing up in the Westside, the increase of organized crime, and attending Rancho High School. Lastly, Lotea and Maurice recall segregation in Las Vegas and changes in the Westside community. Regina is the daughter of Lotea and briefly participates in the interview.
Archival Collection