Oral history interview with Marie Schamaun conducted by Elie Elias on February 21, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Schamaun discusses her personal history and the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Schamaun discusses being a member of the first Methodist church in Las Vegas and her involvement with an auxiliary of the Optimist Club which helped young girls. Schamaun describes how Las Vegas and its casinos have changed since she first moved to the city in 1947, and how the city has changed socially. Schamaun also discusses nuclear weapons tests, youth centers in Las Vegas, and the important role the youth centers have in the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Donald English conducted by Mara E. Vernon on March 12, 1997 for the UNLV Libraries Oral History Collection. English discusses his time working for the Las Vegas News Bureau. He also discusses publicity and photography work in Las Vegas, Nevada and the opportunities being in the industry afforded him.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Walter Dane conducted by Ann K. Clark on March 11, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Dane discusses relocating to Indian Springs in 1930 before settling in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1943, then moving to Utah in 1968. Dane also covers the growth and development of the Las Vegas and Indian Springs areas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Morse Arberry conducted by Brittany Thompson and Andrew Thomas on November 20, 2015 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Arberry discusses his personal history and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. He talks about his father's employment at the Nevada Test Site and the issues of segregation at the time. Arberry recalls attending the Westside School and talks about school integration. He then describes his career in legislation, working on bills to improve the integration process, and the impact that the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) had on the level of education among adults in the community. Lastly, Arberry discusses the West Las Vegas community, the significance that religion had on African Americans, and the increase of law enforcement in the area.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Daniel Romano conducted by Claytee D. White on December 10, 2018 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Romano discusses his early life Walnut, California. He talks about his father’s water ski business, moving to Boulder City, Nevada, and attending dinner shows in Las Vegas. Romano recalls his involvement with The Neon Museum, copyright issues with the signs, and the growth of the museum. Lastly, Romano discusses the history behind one of his homes.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lovell Gaines conducted by Claytee D. White on July 01, 2009 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview Lovell Gaines discusses his involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), becoming president for the Las Vegas, Nevada chapter in 1980, segregation, Freedom Fund banquets, national conventions, police brutality, and housing issues in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Frances Moore conducted by Len Trout on March 01, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Moore begins by discussing her family's history in Nevada and the people she met in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about visits by prominent politicians to Las Vegas, the crash of Carole Lombard's plane, and life in Las Vegas during the 1930s and 1940s. Moore also describes how Las Vegas has changed, nuclear weapons tests, and the Stewart Ranch.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard A. Leigon conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on January 12, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Leigon discusses John S. Park Elementary School, John C. Fremont Junior High School, and Boy Scout Troop 69 at Griffith Methodist Church. Leigon also discusses his father’s, Ralph A. Leigon, contributions to Las Vegas, Nevada, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and his own lengthy career with IBEW that bridged labor management.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard Plaster conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on March 21, 2017 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Plaster discusses his early life in Santa Monica, California, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1973. He recalls his early interests in real estate, forming his company Signature Homes, and the first home building projects he was involved in. Lastly, Plaster describes land acquisition during the late 1970s, building mass housing, and his role as President of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association (SNHBA).
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lena Brass conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on January 17, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Brass discusses her upbringing in Winsboro, Louisiana and describes living during segregation. She recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1975 with her husband, her employment at Nevada State Bank, and participating in the Martin Luther King parade. Brass then talks about the advancement of banking technology, the utilization of computers, and her experience as an African American bank manager. Later, Brass talks of her mentors, her faith, and the economic downturn of Jackson Street businesses in the Westside. Lastly, Brass discusses the future of the African American community in Las Vegas, the Westside, and business networking with the church community.
Archival Collection