Rejoyce Williams moved to Las Vegas with her husband and their six children in 1960. Williams grew up in Fordyce, Arkansas, and has also lived in California. When she arrived in Las Vegas, she worked as a maid at the Las Vegas Hilton and participated in the Culinary Union strike in 1970. In the interview, she discusses her involvement in church activities, and other anecdotes from her employment.
The dedication of Tom Williams Park in North Las Vegas, Nevada. (L-R) Rev. Aubrey Walley, Methodist Church, Hal Fincher, North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Board, Dorothy Booth; Councilman Jack Petitti; Theron Goynes, North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Board; Father James Shehy, the Catholic priest who gave the prayer.
Transcript from interview with Jocelyn Oats by John Grygo. Oats came to Las Vegas with her family and grew up on the Westside. Her father was a leader in the community and a founder of Victory Baptist Church. Her mother provided child care for people in the community. Oats works with Nevada Partners and the Youth Employment for Summer (YES), and reflects on the community in Las Vegas.
Interview with Arlone Scott conducted by Glen Ette Davis on July 3, 1975. Born in Louisiana, Scott moved to Las Vegas in 1951, eventually becoming a hotel maid supervisor. She shares her early experiences of positive race relations among churches in Las Vegas and notes that the Culinary Union improved job opportunities for minorities. Scott concludes with comments on the effects of discrimination and segregation on entertainment and recreation for blacks.
Interview with Alma Whitney conducted by Claytee D. White on March 3, 1996. Seeking better employment opportunities, Whitney moved to Las Vegas from Tallulah, Louisiana, at the age of sixteen. Whitney supported Westside churches and schools and was respected as supervisor in housekeeping at Desert Inn. Whitney provides information on the African American migration to Las Vegas during the 1940s, post-war race relations in Las Vegas, the daily work of hotel maids, and the Culinary Union.