Harris, Otis

Otis R. Harris Jr. was born May 19, 1941 to Otis R. Harris Sr. and Florence Harris. In the early 1940s, after an argument with a white person, Otis Harris's father decided to relocate from Texas to California. During the trip west, he stopped in Las Vegas where they were hiring at the Basic Magnesium plant. Though he only worked there briefly, Las Vegas became home to the Harris family. In this interview, Otis talks about his father's hard working nature and being raised with seven siblings in Las Vegas. He details the businesses that existed on the streets of the Westside area of the city and talks about growing up in Las Vegas during a era of racial change. Otis met the challenges and saw opportunities to make a difference in his community. Over the years he served as a public and private activist. Otis married Sylvia (Tisha) on July 31, 1965.