The Rick L. May Papers document social and political activities of Las Vegas, Nevada's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community from 1982 to 1997. The papers include records from the Gay Academic Union of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; various gay pride celebrations in Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas; the Metropolitan Community Church's outreach to the LGBT community; as well as Rick L. May's own notes and collections about LGBT-supportive stores like R and R Assordid Sundries. The collection also includes several t-shirts that commemorate the pride celebrations. The papers demonstrate how the pride celebrations that began in 1984 were the result of efforts from several sectors of Las Vegas' LGBT community.
The Dennis McBride Photograph Collection (approximately 1904-2018) contains over 5,000 individual photographic prints, negatives, digital images, and postcards that depict various events, people, and locations, across southern Nevada, particularly from the 1960s to the 1990s. The postcards depict a large number of hotels and casinos in cities throughout Nevada including Las Vegas, Tahoe, Reno, and Boulder City. The photographs depict a variety of events held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives, local branches of the Las Vegas Public Library, and local community spaces and stores. The collection also includes a detailed list of photographs from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) events taking place across Las Vegas from 1996 to 2018 including Pride parades, social gatherings in bars and nightclubs, holiday celebrations, and political marches and demonstrations.
Oral history interview with Hanford Searl conducted by Dennis McBride on November 02, 1996 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. Searl discusses being gay and the struggles he faced in religion and university before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Oral history interview with Chris Phipps conducted by Dennis McBride on November 16, 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. Phipps talks about coming to terms being a gay man in California, being involved with the Apollo Spa and Health center, and becoming a lawyer.
Oral history interview with Dorothy Frassmann conducted by Dennis McBride on September 21, 1997 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. Frassmann discusses her upbringing from New York, Canada, and Las Vegas, Nevada, notably as a lesbian.
Oral history interview with Ralph Vandersnick conducted by Dennis McBride on October 18, 1997 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. Vandersnick discusses growing up on a farm with his family in Illinois, owning a gay bar called the Studio Club in California, and owning another gay bar called Snick's Place when he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1976.
Oral history interview with Eddie Anderson conducted by Dennis McBride on October 11 and 14, 2000 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. Anderson speaks about his role in advocating for LGBT rights, specifically his participation in the various political and social movements during previous decades. Additionally, Anderson speaks about his experiences and involvement with the Democratic Party and the various individuals and political figures who assisted with his cause.
Oral history interview with Ron Lawrence conducted by Dennis McBride on 1997 June 22, July 11, and August 08 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. In this interview Ron Lawrence discusses his early life, his career, and the gay community in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also discusses gay rights and the AIDs epidemic in the 1980s.
Oral history interview with "Tommy" conducted by Dennis McBride on April 28, 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay Archives Oral History Project. Thompson discusses his life as a gay man, his parents’ acceptance despite being heavily religious, and writing poems for the Las Vegas Bugle for many years.