Five women in bathing suits sit on a boat for a promotional photo for Lake Mead. From left to right, 1. Maida Lee, 2. Lorna (Jollei) Kesterson, 3. Betty Gilmore Nickell, 4. Betty Ferguson, 5. Kelly Ward.
The Las Vegas, Nevada Women's Softball Collection (1951-1952) contains photographic prints and negatives depicting a southern Nevada women's softball team. The team was sponsored by Wilson's Texaco Station in Boulder City, Nevada, and the women played in regional games in both southern California and southern Nevada. Photographs in the collection show the team practicing at Peterson Field in Boulder City, and celebrating and spending time together at the Mt. Charleston Lodge. The collection also contains copies of personal accounts written by team member Orpha Alveta Bowman (McBride), who recalls the prejudice some of the lesbian members faced from local community members. The originals of these handwritten accounts are held in MS-01099.
The American Association of University Women, Las Vegas Branch Records (1934-2016) is comprised of organizational records including member directories, bylaws, charters, meeting minutes, financial records, guest registers, and newsletters. The collection also includes reports and fundraising information published by AAUW. Also included is a script for a play about the founding of the national organization, bulletin board cut-outs, programmming materials, and a significant amount of Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) material.