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Ida Webb oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Ida Webb conducted by Claytee D. White on February 29, 1996 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Webb discusses her childhood in the American South. She discusses her family's move from Tallulah, Louisiana to McNary, Arizona, and then their migration to Las Vegas, Nevada. Webb shares her experiences as a young African American mother in Las Vegas in the 1940s and the things her and her husband did to provide for their family. She shares her views on her marriage and her views on African American culture of the time. Webb discusses her husband's civic involvement and his job at the Las Vegas Sun. She details her experiences working in the hospitality industry for such early casinos as the El Rancho Hotel & Casino, The Flamingo Hotel & Casino, and the Last Frontier Hotel & Casino. She shares her own civic involvements and her participation in the Culinary Workers Union Local 226.
Archival Collection
Hal Erickson oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Hal Erickson conducted by Alice Brown on April 01, 1998 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Erickson discusses starting work at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas libraries in 1965 and his first impressions of the library. Erickson discusses the organizational and catalog systems of the library and his efforts to improve library organization.
Archival Collection
Billy Root oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Billy Root conducted by Lisa Gioia-Acres on May 14, 2008 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. Root begins by discussing his upbringing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he developed an early interest in being a musician due to encouragement from his father, who was also a musician. He describes playing baritone saxophone in the Philadelphia Orchestra, performing at the Apollo Theater in Ella Fitzgerald's orchestra, and going on tour with a predominantly African American jazz band in the Southern United States during segregation. Root details his interactions and impressions of various celebrities, such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, attending Playboy parties, and eventually deciding to settle in Las Vegas, Nevada. He discusses working as a professional musician in Las Vegas, where he performed in such casinos as the Dunes and the Desert Inn. He concludes by discussing his retirement and his family.
Archival Collection
Sally Jackson oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Sally Jackson conducted by Krista Jenkins on March 02, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Jackson discusses the hospitality industry, local hotels, casinos, nightclubs, and the social and environmental changes in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Waldemar Jackson oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Waldemar Jackson conducted by Claytee White on May 06, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Jackson discusses topics such as working at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, drugs in the community, and the tragedy caused by them among generations. He also talks about the task of pulling lives back from the brink of succumbing to addiction.
Archival Collection
Essie Shelton Jacobs oral history interviews
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Oral history interviews with Essie Shelton Jacobs conducted by Claytee White on February 01, 1996 and April 16, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Jacobs begins her interview discussing her immediate family and siblings in detail, and how they influenced her to move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963. Jacobs goes on to discuss finding work in Las Vegas and her job as a housekeeper at the Aladdin Hotel, where she and eventually became a supervisor. Jacobs discusses her experience at the Aladdin including the Culinary Union, gender discrimination, employment for African Americans, and encounters with celebrities. Jacobs goes on to describe the the Culinary Union Local 226 in more detail, discussing membership, strikes, and race relations.
Archival Collection
Audrey James oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Audrey James conducted by Claytee D. White on July 20 and July 27, 2012 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. James discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1952 and working as an elementary school teacher. She also discusses starting a project to provide books for children in African countries, being an active church member, and volunteering in a food bank operation.
Archival Collection
Maxine James oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Maxine James conducted by Danny DiGiacomo on March 2, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. The two discuss the ease with which people could find jobs in early Las Vegas, Nevada. James talks about the Sahara, Thunderbird, and El Rancho casinos. The interview ends with a discussion on the rapid growth of the city in the 1950s and 1960s.
Archival Collection
Howard Booth oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Howard Booth conducted by Jeff van Ee on April 13, 2009 for the UNLV Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Booth discusses environmental changes in Las Vegas, Nevada and addresses his concerns on the lack of environmental protection in southern Nevada. Booth describes the role politics has in environmental policies, his involvement in the establishment of federally protected areas, and his advocacy for public land uses.
Archival Collection
Alan Jarlson oral history interview
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Oral history interview with Alan Jarlson conducted by Perry Kaufman on June 04, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In his interview, Jarlson discusses the Las Vegas, Nevada newspaper industry and the significant people in the industry. He also discusses other significant people and events in Las Vegas, Nevada history.
Archival Collection