Diana Saunders was born Diana Salshutz in the Bronx, the northern most borough of New York City. She was raised in a Jewish neighborhood and recalls how her maternal grandparents pickled pickles, tomatoes and other traditional Jewish delicacies for Wolfie?s Deli. By the time she was twelve years old, Diana was bustling through the city to pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer. Encouraged by her mother Rose?her father Sidney was not as eager for this pursuit?Diana was accepted into High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. In addition, she was accepted at the School of American Ballet where she studied classical ballet during the leadership of renowned choreographer George Balanchine. Her first professional performance was in the Nutcracker for American Ballet. At the age of seventeen, Diana was on her own, confident in her dancing potential, and eager to study jazz dancing. This led her to Matt Mattox and to her important mentor, Luigi (Eugene Louis Faccuito). In time she was a featured dancer for Steven Lawrence and Eydie Gorm?s show Golden Rainbow. This was soon followed by a position on Sammy Davis Jr.?s television show in the 1960s. Diana also studied musical acting and showed talent for comedic performance. In the 1970s, Diana crossed paths with Las Vegas venues. She relocated to Las Vegas in 1974 when Donn Arden offered her a dancer position in Hallelujah Hollywood at the MGM. She met and married musical theater actor/singer Joe Bellomo, whose career spanned four decades. He passed away of complications of early onset Alzheimer?s in 1996. Always true to her personal mantra?Wake up; Dress up. Show up?Diana maintains a busy schedule. At the time of this of this interview, she is currently a manger of gondoliers at the Venetian. She brings to life that career and also talks about being a part of the former Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Diana shares stories of long career as a dancer, from substituting in the black dancer line to continued study of dancing with Anglo Moio. She also talks about the AIDS fundraising event Golden Rainbow, having dinner at Rabbi Shea Harlig?s home and observations of local theater.
Oral history interview with Mozella Sheds Scott conducted by Claytee D. White on November 30, 2010 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Scott discusses her childhood in Friars Point, Mississippi, and aspects of rural life. She then described moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965 and taking a job as a laundry presser and distributor. Scott compares life in Mississippi to the Westside of Las Vegas, describing the Bonanza Village area, employment of the black population, and churches in the area. She also discusses her employment while attending Nevada Southern University, now University of Nevada, Las Vegas, as well as her first position in education and libraries. Additionally, Scott discusses racial discrimination her husband faced in his job at a titanium plant. She concludes by describing her work to improve literacy and education in her community with organizations including, Upward Bound, Community Adult Learning in Libraries (CALL), Parent-In-Charge, and Word on a Rock.
The collection is comprised of Dr. Charles L. Adams' committee, senate, and association meeting minutes, correspondence, and records from 1960 to 1988 collected while he worked in both the Department of English and the Graduate Studies division of Nevada Southern University (NSU) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The collection documents the establishment of the graduate studies program at NSU before it was UNLV. The collection also includes early information about the Department of English including memoranda and course schedule planning.
Members of the Brewington and Pittman families celebrating the golden wedding anniversary of Dr. and Mrs. George F. Brewington (parents of Ida Pittman, wife of Nevada Governor Vail M. Pittman), in the Pittman's home in Ely, Nevada. Seated, L-R: Frances R. Brewington, George F. Brewington, Rose (Farrell) Brewington, Ann E. Brewington. Standing, L-R: Nevada Governor Vail M. Pittman, Ida Louise "Liz" (Brewington) Pittman. Frances Brewington and Ann Brewington, sisters to Ida Pittman, served as a public health nurse in Boulder City, Nevada, and as a teacher of business education at the University of Chicago, respectively.
Oral history interview with David and Iris Torjman conducted by Barbara Tabach on November 12, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Iris discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada from the Bronx in New York and meeting her husband. David discusses being a Jewish educator for Temple Beth Sholom. David also talks about working as a card dealer and investing in land.
Oral history interview with Lois Tarkanian conducted by Claytee D. White on September 24, 2014 for the West Charleston Neighborhoods: An Oral History Project of Ward 1. In this interview, Lois Tarkanian discusses meeting her husband Jerry Tarkanian, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, and her work as a speech pathologist. She also discusses teaching hearing-impaired children, being on the Clark County School District Board, and the people she represented in Ward 1 when she was on the Las Vegas City Council.
Oral history interview with William Wells conducted by David Emerson on May 22, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview, William Wells, the first dean of engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1986 to join UNLV. He also describes building the engineering departments, obtaining accreditation, recruiting, salaries, and faculty turnover. He then talks about diversity in the department, the successes of UNLV engineering graduates, and attracting minority groups to engineering.
The Ronnow Family Photographs contain four black-and-white photographic prints of the Ronnow family in Southern Nevada from approximately 1870 to 1950. Also included is one large oversized black-and-white photographic print of the Old Rotary Club with C. C. Ronnow present.