Oral history interview with Emma Stampley conducted by Claytee D. White on October 22, 2007 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Stampley discusses her early life in Fayette, Mississippi and growing up in a family of farmers. She remembers segregated schools, the living conditions during that time, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1968. Stampley talks about participating in the civil and welfare rights movements, and the foundation of Operation Life. Lastly, Stampley recalls traveling to civil and welfare rights movement marches, police harassment, and the African American experience in Las Vegas during that time.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Peter F. Perazzo conducted by Claytee D. White on July 22, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Perazzo discusses his personal history and moving from Reno, Nevada to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1940s. Perazzo talks about his Native American ancestry, his career in land surveying, and how construction and land surveying have changed over the years. He then describes designing public and residential buildings in Las Vegas, and at the Nevada Test Site. Later, Perazzo discusses his employment at the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1985 and in 1995 at the Nevada Department of Transportation, where he was involved in many state projects such as the Hoover Dam bypass, Red Rock state road, and freeway widening.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with A.D. Hopkins conducted by an unidentified collector on February 26, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Hopkins discusses the historical background of Pioche, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Archival Component
Archival Component
Oral history interview with Andy Hafen conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on August 22, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Hafen discusses his upbringing in Henderson, Nevada. He recalls being elected to the City Council in 1987, the expansion of Henderson, and the development of the Water Street District. Hafen then talks about redevelopment of historic areas and the increase in businesses in Henderson. Later, Hafen discusses Lake Las Vegas, the drought and its effect on Lake Mead, and the challenges in developing Lake Las Vegas. Lastly, Hafen explains the how Nevada State College (NSC) has become the necessary link between the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Harry Mortenson conducted by Claytee D. White on April 08, 2014, April 22, 2014, and May 06, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In the first interview, Mortenson discusses his personal background, working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and arriving to Nevada to work as a nuclear physicist at the Nevada Test Site. Mortenson describes his work and recalls anecdotes from his employment. He then talks about his company, Sigma Scientific, and explains the different projects where he worked as a consultant. In the second interview, Mortenson discusses the methods of transportation used to arrive to the Nevada Test Site, his involvement with different organizations, and his tenure in the Nevada State Legislature. In the final interview, Mortenson discusses the device he built to take photographs of the nuclear reactor cores at Las Alamos National Laboratory, and explains how that device worked.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Charlotte Ellsworth conducted by Jane Ellsworth Olive on March 22, 1977, December 26, 1980, December 28, 1981, and August 06, 1987 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the span of four interviews, Ellsworth discusses her family’s history, the growth of Henderson, Nevada, working at the Basic Magnesium Plant, and life during World War II. She also talks about war bond drives, the Oakey Theaters, Nevada Chamber of Commerce, "western" clothes, and hotels like the Flamingo Hotel and the Riviera Hotel. She then describes visiting places like Canada, Salt Lake City, Utah, Washington, D. C., and San Francisco, California.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jessica Guiao conducted by Grecia Lopez on November 22, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Guiao recalls her childhood in Hayward, California, and being raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She recalls not liking the climate of Nevada at first, and describes the friends she has made throughout her time in the city and the identity she has developed. Guiao discusses some of the pressures and stereotypes surrounding Asian Americans, such as what career path they should pursue or the aversion to embracing subcultures, and how she has consolidated her rebellion into her own identity. Throughout the interview, Guiao touches on other topics such as Filipino food, the long-standing history between Mexican and Filipino communities, Catholicism, goth culture, and anti-Asian hate and racism that she and her family has faced.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Paul Velez conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 22, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Paul Velez, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) campus officer, discusses his experience at the Thomas & Mack Center during the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. He shares his goal of creating a safe atmosphere for the survivors and providing them with all of their needs, including helping separated survivors find their loved ones and friends. Velez also describes his move to Las Vegas in 2008 and his time with the New York City police force, talking about his experience as a first responder at Ground Zero during the 9/11 attacks. He discusses the effect these attacks have had on general and campus security measures and on him as an individual.
Archival Collection