Oral history interview with Sarah Serna conducted by Dennis McBride on December 04, 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. Serna opens her interview by discussing her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1993, and her first assignment as a Methodist minister to a small congregation in North Las Vegas. Serna then explains how she became involved in LGBT social justice issues after witnessing expressions of homophobia and prejudice within her church. She discusses her involvement with the Las Vegas LGBT community and the development of a pastoral care outreach program, the development of the World AIDS Day prayer vigil, and the foundation of the Community Counseling Center, later renamed Lighthouse Ministry. Serna then talks about her decision to transition from the Methodist Church to the Episcopalian Church and becoming the first Episcopalian priest in Las Vegas to bless same-sex marriages. She also discusses the development of a transitional housing program, changes in the LGBT community in Las Vegas, and many individuals involved in LGBT social justice programs in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Jonathan Sparer conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on August 29, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Sparer discusses his involvement in the Jewish, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) communites, and his career as an architect in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also talks about working on projects that included The Mirage Hotel and Casino, the Congregation Ner Tamid, and The Center (The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada).
Out of the Neon Closet: Queer Community in the Silver State records (2007-2017) are comprised of Dennis McBride's research and working files for his book on the history of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community in Nevada. The records include correspondence from Dennis McBride to different publishers detailing his research. The collection also includes copies of his book proposal, peer reviews, manuscript drafts, and proofs.
The Ron Lawrence Photograph Collection contains mainly photographs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) events (approximately 1980-1994, 2013) around Las Vegas, Nevada taken by Ron Lawrence. The collection consists primarily of photographs of the First Annual Gay Pride Banquet and Awards hosted at the Moyer Student Union at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), events at the Gay Academic Union at UNLV, and the first Gay Pride celebration in Las Vegas. Also included are photographs of the First Annual Honorarium by the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, personal photographs of Ron Lawrence and his friends, and parties at the home of Ron Lawrence and Ernie Egyd.
The Christie Young Papers are comprised of Young's personal papers, journals, and photographs between 1982 and 2011. The journals document Young's arrival to Las Vegas, Nevada and her involvement in several nascent Las Vegas lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) organizations from 1982 to 1985, such as UNLV's Lesbian and Gay Academic Union (LGAU). The collection includes materials related to her life in San Diego, California from 1985 to 1995 and typed transcripts of all journal entries that relate to the Las Vegas LGBTQ community. The collection also includes photographic slides and prints documenting Young's involvement with LGAU and events in the Las Vegas LGBTQ community.
Oral history interview with Jon Sparer conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 04, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Sparer discusses his career as an architect of many major Las Vegas, Nevada hotels and casinos. He also talks about designing the Congregation Ner Tamid and The Center for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) community.
Oral history interviews with Rob Schlegel conducted by Dennis McBride on various dates in March and April of 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In the interviews, Schlegel recalls his early life in Port Angeles, Washington, his conservative Baptist upbringing, and his early experiences with literature. Schlegel then discusses working with newspaper publications in high school and college, understanding his sexuality during college, his first gay sexual experience, and his first trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. He recalls working with Robert Lloyd "Bob" Brown at the Valley Times during this visit. Schlegel talks about moving to Las Vegas and working full-time as the production manager for the Valley Times. Schlegel explains becoming active in politics through his newspaper work, meeting notable casino executives, and financial and political controversies the Valley Times experienced in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He then describes coming out as gay, and working at the Nevada Gay Times beginning in 1985. Schlegel also talks about opening and managing the Bright Pink Literature bookstore in 1987 and starting a separate publication Night Beat in 1992. He then recalls co-founding Las Vegas Gay Pride and Southern Nevada Association of Pride, Inc., conflicts he had within the Las Vegas gay community, and working at the Gipsy nightclub as a secretary. Lastly, Schlegel discusses the repeal of Nevada's sodomy laws, homophobia, and memories of individuals and organizations associated with the Las Vegas gay community.
Oral history interview with Richard Ham conducted by Dennis McBride on January 18, 2002 for the Las Vegas Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In this interview, Ham discusses the assault of Nevada Supreme Court Justice Frank McNamee in 1965. Ham describes being accused by McNamee of being a communist, McNamee's sexuality, and how McNamee was able to succeed politically despite being a gay man. He continues, discussing the history of the trial following McNamee's assault, and also describes other aspects of Nevada's political history during that time. Ham concludes by discussing being gay and some of his sexual experiences with men.
The LGBTQ Las Vegas records are comprised of Dennis McBride's official papers and correspondence from 2016 to 2017 about his pictorial history book, LGBTQ Las Vegas, on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in Las Vegas, Nevada. The records consist of correspondence on the acceptance of McBride's book proposal as well as a memorandum agreement. The records also contain printed copies of electronic correspondence between McBride and Arcadia Publishing as well as correspondence from McBride requesting photographer's permission to include their work in his book. The records also include a proof copy of the book with McBride's annotations.
The Stand OUT for Equality Records (2008-2011) contain correspondence, lobbying materials, press kits, promotional materials, expense reports, meeting agendas and minutes, certificates, and notes pertaining to the 2009 and 2011 lobbying efforts by Stand OUT for Equality for gay and straight domestic partnership benefits and transgender rights held in Carson City, Nevada. The collection also contains photographic prints of the 2009 and 2011 Equality Days in Carson City, copies of legislation related to domestic partnerships in Nevada, event invitations, newspaper clippings, and optical discs with digital copies of fliers, posters, logos, manuals, training videos, and photographs, as well as templates and budgeting information.