The Ruby Duncan Photograph Collection on Operation Life (1970s-1980s) is comprised primarily of photographic prints with some corresponding 35 mm negatives of Ruby Duncan and other Operation Life organizers, as well as important organization buildings. Materials include photographs of Ruby Duncan, Aldine Weems, Renee Diamond, and Jack Anderson in the original Operation Life Las Vegas, Nevada Operation Life headquarters and the regional office in San Francisco, California. Also pictured are other employees and beneficiaries of the organization at a Christmas Party.
The Vassili Sulich Photographs depict dancer and choreographer Vassili Sulich from 1950 to 2011. The photographs primarily depict Sulich dancing in ballets in France, Croatia, Germany, England, and the United States. The photographs also depict ballets choreographed or directed by Sulich at the Nevada Dance Theatre, which he founded in 1972 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Oral history interview with Sandra Candel conducted by Elsa Lopez, Monserrath Hernández, and Barbara Tabach on October 03, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Sandra Candel talks of her childhood growing up with her grandparents in Guadalajara, Jalisco after her mother immigrated to America. She moved to California to attend university before moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she raised her children and began homeschooling them. This path led to Sandra opening a Montessori school, igniting her interest in education. She talks of her pursuit of both a Masters Degree from Drexel University and a Doctoral Degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Sandra concludes her interview with discussion of her research and current employment as a part-time instructor for the Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies at UNLV. Subjects discussed include: Guadalajara; Salt Lake City, Utah; Sensitive Teaching Practices; Multi-generational families.
Oral history interview with Mach and Arlene Manuel conducted by Kristel Peralta and Stefani Evans on June 28, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Mach and Arlene Manuel share the story of their overseas courtship and how they came to be together in the United States. Arlene was raised in the Philippines while Mach was born and raised in San Diego, California. Mach describes his visit to the Philippines as an adult when he began to connect more to his Filipino heritage. The couple shares how they dated for 13 years before Arlene moved to San Diego, and how the Manuel family came to live in Las Vegas in 2017 to pursue Arlene's nursing career. Arlene and Mach talk about cultural differences and discrimination, emigration and diversity, religion and identity, and Filipino food, among other topics. Subjects discussed include: Manila, Philippines; discrimination of class; and anti-Asian hate.
In this interview, the Torjmans recall meeting at Temple Beth Sholom and their careers in Las Vegas. David Torjman was a Hebrew School teacher at Temple Beth Sholom, and later became a dealer at the Rainbow Club and Tropicana. Iris was a health aide for the Clark County School District.
In 1964, a young Hebrew school teacher was recruited to teach at Temple Beth Sholom. Soon he met Iris Schwartz who had moved to Las Vegas to live with her aunt. Less than two years later David proposed to Iris in Jack Entratter's suite at the Sands; had a New York wedding and then a local wedding thrown by the Sisterhood at Temple Beth Sholom. The couple came from distinctively different Jewish backgrounds. David was born and raised in Morocco and was educated in trades at the ORT Vocational School in Fez, Morocco. He then studied at Sunderland Talmudical College in England before immigrating to the United States. Iris was a native of Bronx, New York. And tells how before the couple met in Las Vegas that they actually lived within blocks of each other in New York. She moved to Las Vegas to live with relatives as a young woman. In 1964 destiny brought them together. David?s career as a Hebrew school teacher brought him to Temple Beth Sholom, a career that lasted for three years. He then worked for Jerry Hory?s Hock Shop and later became a dealer for the Rainbow Club and the Tropicana. Iris worked for the Clark County School District as a health aide. They have been successful investors in local property and enjoy their retirement. They tell the story of meeting and creating a life in Las Vegas where they raised their three children.
Views of the Blue Note club signs on the Las Vegas Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 3663 S Las Vegas Blvd Sign owner: Blue Note International: Father & Son team of Danny and Steven Bensusan Sign details: The Blue Note is located a short distance east, down Harmon Ave., on the north side of the street, facing south. It is part of the Aladdin Hotel Casino. A vacant lot resides on the corner, and is the only thing that separates the Blue Note from the Strip. Signage for the property includes two logo wall signs on the west wall of the building, a vertical blade sign and an entrance sign over the main port to the establishment. Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5 Sign form: Fascia Sign-specific description: Just east off of Las Vegas Blvd, down Harmon Ave, lies the entrance to the "Blue Note: Jazz Capital of the World." The Blue Note is actually part of the Aladdin property, residing in the eastern most wing of the building, on the south side of Harmon. The majority of the signage hangs on the front of the building, which faces south toward Harmon Ave., with additional signage on the west face of the structure that extends from the Aladdin property. A vacant lot on the north east corner separates the Blue Note from the rest of the strip. The structure of the building and the design of the signage are juxtaposed with the building still being finished in a Persian Palace theme. While the signs are reminiscent of roaring twenties style font and theatre front design. Several different types of signs adorn the Blue Note. Two wall /logo signs hang on the west side of the building, while a sculpted entrance marquee, a hanging logo sign, and a vertical blade sign hung on the south side of the building. The west wall logo sign is composed of blue channel letters spelling the text " Blue Note," separated by a circular cabinet with a tube of neon bent to emulate the shape of a musical note placed in the middle. Five steel bars just out from either side of the cabinet. Below the text, a white steel cabinet with rounded ends, support a thin set of blue channel letters reading, "Jazz capital of the world." Further to the right a set of pink channel letters rest upon the upper portion of the corner of the structure. The letters are filled with pink neon. Along the South face of the building the first sign, hung in close proximity to the southwest corner, a vertical blade sign sits on a radius base of shaped molding jutting out of the wall. The actual body of the sign is a double backed cabinet finished in polished aluminum, with blue pin striping along the edges as well as along the rounded edge of the top. Near the top of the sign, the same rounded cabinet seen on the west wall of the structure, is integrated into the blade facing east/west. The cabinet is thicker in width to compensate for the width of the actual sign. The edges of the steel structure are painted in the same blue tone. The afore mentioned blue neon tubing fashioned into the shape of the note resides in this cabinet also. Along the east/west sides of the sign the text "The Blue Note," runs vertically from top to bottom, in blue channel letters only interrupted by the circular cabinet. The panel, which the text resides is painted white. Along the edge of the blade, which faces south, the text "Blue Note" is spelled vertically in blue channel letters. Sitting along the edge of the base, which the sign sits on, thin red channel letters stand almost independently, wrapping around the radius of the base. Starting on the west side of the sign and finishing on the east side, the text reads "Club & Cafe." These letters are filled with tubes of red neon. The letters are attached to a backing radius band of metal appearing to be gold. Further down the face of the building the main entrance to the building plays host to an overhead marquee/logo sign incorporating sculptural elements as well. Directly in the center of the composition, a long horizontal cabinet plays host to the red channel letters filed with red neon, reading, "World's Finest Jazz Club." Sitting on the top edge of the cabinet the same configuration of the Blue Note logo sign along with the circular cabinet, rests in front a sculpted piece of black steel. This piece of black painted steel is cut to appear as if it is the open top to a piano. Along the interior edge of the lid tubes of blue neon form a blue border. Between the piano top and the Blue Note logo, a horizontal steel grate serves as a divider as well as support for the blue channel letters. This entire section sits on a long horizontal ledge composed of a long polished steel section with a long LED message center just below that. Slightly recessed below the message center another width of overhang constructed of steel is painted to appear as if it is made of piano keys. Along the wall, just above the door, the pink channel letters read "Insomnia" with pink neon on the interior. Sign - type of display: Neon Sign - media: Steel; Fiberglass Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint Sign environment: Situated just east off the strip, down Harmon Avenue, the Blue Note is the only attraction in its immediate area. Even though it is part of the Aladdin complex, the closest property is the Harley Davidson Cafe on the south east corner of Harmon and Las Vegas Blvd At night, the property loses its Arabian Nights architecture emitting a sultry glow of neon. It is hard to miss, if a pedestrian peers down the street while traveling north or south, on the east side of the strip. During the day, the architecture helps to blend in the property to appear as it is, part of the Aladdin. Sign manufacturer: YESCO Sign - date of installation: 2000 Sign - thematic influences: The building itself is part of the actual Aladdin property, so the faced of the structure is themed in the manner of an ancient Persian city. It is an interesting juxtaposition for the sleek, modern finish and colors of the signage, with the organic facade of domed towers and stone facade. The Blue note signage is themed around the subject of music, specifically Jazz and Blues music. The blue hue of the neon, and the cabinet containing the crafted musical note are all evidence of this. The blade sign is thematically influenced by marquee building signs for theaters and music clubs from the first part of the century, specifically the forties and fifties. Such examples that utilized a similar designed blade sign were properties from the 1930's 40's and 50's such as The Boulder Club, The Pioneer Club, and the Las Vegas Club. Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday Survey - date completed: 2002 Sign keywords: Fascia; Neon; Steel; Fiberglass; Paint