Lockette, Emory W., Sr., 1923-2005

Emory and Agnes Lockette met while they were both in college; she in Albany, Georgia, and he in Dawson, Georgia. He studied architectural and structural engineering. They secretly married in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1949 and moved to Boulder City in 1953 where they were the only African Americans during a time of tense race relations. She earned graduate degrees, including a doctorate in early childhood education, at UNLV. Initially, Mrs. Lockette made a daily journey to the Westside of Las Vegas to teach kindergarten and later in her career worked in the Henderson school system and at UNLV. Mr. Lockette worked for the Bureau of Reclamation which developed the land resources west of the Mississippi. Despite facing prejudice in the small town of Boulder City, the Lockettes managed to remain active in the community. They attended Grace Community Church and their children were members of the Boy and Girl Scouts. They also recall spending their weekends out on the town, visiting the Beachcomber Club at the Sahara Hotel where they knew the band. They have lived in the D-mount house, which was moved down from Washington more than a half a century ago. Mr. Lockette has been working on the house and expanding it since 1957, and he continues to do so today.