Oral history interviews with Ida Pinckney conducted by Claytee D. White on August 23, 2012 and November 05, 2012 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Pinckney discusses her personal history and life in Las Vegas, Nevada after moving there with her family as a child in 1942. She begins by talking about her family and living in a tent house in the Westside community of Las Vegas. Pinckney describes how she feels Westside development has been stunted by an overabundance of churches in the area not paying taxes, life in the Westside during the 1940s, and her experiences as an African American woman in Las Vegas. Other topics of discussion include Pinckney being a member of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, her father and brother working at the Nevada Test Site, and various aspects of Las Vegas history. Willie Jean Beatty also participates in the interview, helping Pinckney expand on topics such as the presence of organized crime in casinos and her involvement in the Sisters Network: An Afro-American Breast Cancer Survivors Organization.
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Oral history interviews with Rosemary Q. Flores conducted by Elsa Lopez on October 16, 2018 and October 29, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In these interviews, Flores discusses her family background and early life in Reno, Nevada. She recalls her father’s decision to move to Nevada in search of job opportunities. Flores then describes her move to Sonora, Mexico with her siblings and compares schooling in Sonora and Reno. She talks about moving back to Reno, her employment at Harrah’s Reno Hotel and Casino while still in school, and recalls graduating in the top twenty of her high school class. Later, Flores discusses her experiences attending the University of Nevada, Reno, the struggles of being Latina in higher education, and the influence that multicultural education has on her. She talks about moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1997 and her involvement with the Multicultural Education Services Alliance (MESA) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Lastly, Flores recalls co-founding a nonprofit organization, The Family Leadership Initiative.
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Oral history interview with Ruben Acherman conducted by Monserrath Hernandez and Laurents Bañuelos-Benítez on July 18, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Acherman discusses growing up in Palmira, Colombia, where his father emigrated to from Romania. He talks about how accepted he felt in a Catholic community, moving to Cali, Colombia to study medicine, and describes completing his rural residency in San Pedro, Colombia. Acherman then recalls specializing in cardiology at the University of Southern California (USC). Later, Acherman explains why he chose to specialize in cardiology, his interests in pediatric cardiology, and his inability to continue studying due to the lack of financial stability and his immigration status. Acherman describes his move to the Summerlin residential community in Las Vegas, Nevada after being offered a position to work for Dr. Bill Evans in 2001, and compares the differences in health care between the United States and Columbia. Lastly, Acherman discusses his first balloon dilation procedure and talks about the illustrations he has created in cardiology textbooks.
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Oral history interview with Luis F. Valera III conducted by Nathalie Martinez and Laurents Bañuelos-Benítez on January 23, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Valera discusses his family background and explains the story of his parent's immigration to the United States. He talks about bilingual language challenges while transitioning from school in Caracas, Venezuela and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1994. Valera then describes being raised in both Cuban and Venezuelan cultures, describes their similarities, and his experience of not being welcomed into the student organization Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MECHa). He recalls his college career, his decision to get into politics, and pursuing a degree in law. Later, Valera discusses his role as vice president of Student Organization for Latinos, and talks about being elected as the University of Las Vegas, Nevada (UNLV) student body Vice President. Lastly, Valera describes his position as Vice President of Government Affairs for UNLV.
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Oral history interviews with Martin Myron and Don Snyder conducted by Stefani Evans on November 30, 2017, December 06, 2017, and March 08, 2018 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Myron G. Martin, President and CEO, and Donald D. Snyder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, share their memories of the founding of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Martin recalls his upbringing in Texas and his education in music and business at Golden Gate University. He came to Las Vegas after a fifteen-year career with the Baldwin Piano Company to be the Executive Director of the Liberace Foundation. Martin describes how he became President of University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Performing Arts Center and later President of the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation in 1999. Martin and Snyder talk about how the Smith Center came to be, fund raising, the design process for the performing arts complex, and notable people and organizations that were involved. They also discuss the overall programming at the Smith Center, and who performed on opening night.
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Oral history interviews with Glenn Tredwell conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 04, 2016 and April 14, 2016 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In the first interview, Tredwell discusses his family ancestry and his Orthodox Judaism upbringing. He talks about his childhood in Atlantic City, New Jersey and describes his family’s Christmas tree farm, potato farm, and wholesale produce business. He talks about his move to Florida, working at Lum’s, a hot dog restaurant, and further explains the company’s franchise success. Tredwell recalls attending the University of Miami, becoming a landscape artist, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1976. He describes going to dealer school, card dealing at El Cortez and Caesars Palace, and co-founding the Spina Bifida Association of Nevada. In the second interview, Tredwell discusses being the Director of Marketing at Caesars Palace and compares gambling from the 1980s to the 1990s. He talks about his involvement in casino boat operations and his partnership with Millennium Displays. Lastly, Tredwell discusses the progress of his most recent projects.
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Oral history interview with Sam Diaz conducted by Elsa Lopez on January 03, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Diaz discusses his upbringing in Chula Vista, California. He describes growing up near the United States-Mexico border and going to a school where instruction was initially in Spanish. Diaz recalls joining the United States Air Force in 2001, the impact that September 11, 2001 had on him, and being deployed to Iraq for two years. Later, Diaz talks about about difficulties he faced when readjusting to civilian life, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007, and obtaining a job with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD). Diaz recalls the October 1, 2017 shooting and changes that the LVMPD implemented after the tragedy. He talks about adopting two children, the process of becoming a foster parent, and raising his children to speak Spanish. Lastly, Diaz discusses his goals as the chair of the Hispanic Recruitment Council with the LVMPD and the changes that are happening in law enforcement in an attempt to mirror the demographics of the Las Vegas community.
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Oral history interview with Carol Harter conducted by Claytee D. White on June 18, 2021 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
Carol Harter is the longest-serving President of UNLV, from 1995 until 2006. The campus experienced unprecedented growth during that time, including the addition of a new, very large library. Harter grew the campus from 19,000 to 28,000 students, added 23 new or completely renovated buildings to the campus, and with a student-centered focus, added more than 100 new degree programs. Two professional schools, the Dental School and Boyd School of Law, added greatly to the prestige and academic Top Tier status of UNLV.
Her partnership with Glenn Schaeffer, former president of the Mandalay Resort Group, assisted in the early work of the Black Mountain Institute (BMI) Modern Letters program. BMI is an international think tank dedicated to advancing literary and cross-cultural dialogue. This was an important goal to Harter and Schaeffer, who were both literature majors. Harter also discusses many community members who made an impact on UNLV including Joe Crowley and Dr. Juanita Fain.
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Oral history interview with Barbara Jean Drew conducted by Claytee D. White on May 17, 2021 for African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Barbara Drew is the Dean of the Academy for Ministers, teaches Bible study, and performs other spiritual work at New Jerusalem Worship Center. Drew migrated to Las Vegas from Fortune Fork, Louisiana, just two miles outside the city limits of Tallulah.
This interview covers life in the Black community beginning when Drew arrived in 1961. She spoke about the importance of businesses like the Brown Derby, Hamburger Heaven, and the Town Tavern that hosted jazz on Sunday afternoons with a dance floor that she enjoyed. She discussed her first job running American Linen, a Dry Cleaners owned by Phil Shapiro; Shapiro mentored Drew, teaching her about business operations, purchasing property for her family, bookkeeping, and the importance of having a bank account. She also spoke of a neighborhood where neighbors helped neighbors and opportunities that flourished throughout the Black community. Subjects discussed include: Jackson Ave, Town Tavern, New Jerusalem Worship Center, Kasper Park, Berkley Square, and Phil Shapiro.
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Oral history interview with Jose Leonardo Martinez conducted by Barbara Tabach and Nathalie Martinez on August 19 and 29, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project.
Session 1: Jose discusses his childhood and what it was like growing up during the Salvadoran Civil War. He recounts the dangers he's faced and how he made his way to the United States after traveling through Guatemala and Mexico. Subjects discussed include: Salvadoran Civil War; Ciudad Arce, El Salvador; Guatemala; Mexico; Los Angeles, California.
Session 2: Jose continues his discussion of growing up in El Salvador and the violence he witnessed in the country's army during the 1980s. He also talks about his personal life after moving to the United States and his experiences navigating gang culture in Los Angeles, California. Jose recounts his previous jobs, his schooling, how he met his wife, and his family's move to Las Vegas. Subjects discussed include: El Salvador army; gang violence.
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