Aaron Williams Papers (1965-1981) consist of scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, certificates, newspaper clippings, reports, and programs. Many of the clippings and some of the correspondence contain references that give insight into the role of women in North Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The scrapbooks and newspaper clippings document Williams' career as well as issues he dealt with as councilman and commissioner. These issues include those related to community and infrastructure development, such as airports, sewage treatment plants, senior citizens, health, and urban planning as well as North Las Vegas and Clark county political activities during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Aaron Williams Papers (1965-1981) contain papers of the first African American elected to a local municipal position in the history of Nevada when he became a North Las Vegas City Councilman in 1968. Williams served on the council until he was elected to the Clark County Commission in 1971. The scrapbooks and newspaper clippings document Williams career as well as issues he dealt with as councilman and commissioner. These issues include those related to community and infrastructure development, such as airports, sewage treatment plants, senior citizens, health, and urban planning as well as North Las Vegas and Clark county political activities during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
In addition, many of the clippings and some of the correspondence contain references that give insight to the role of women, particularly black women, in North Las Vegas and Clark County during the late 1960's and early 1970's.
Collection is open for research.
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Material is in chronological order.
Aaron Williams was the first African American elected to a local municipal position in the history of Nevada when he became North Las Vegas City Councilman in 1968. Williams served on the council until he was elected to the Clark County Commission in 1971. Williams was educated in Texas and served in the South Pacific with the United States Army during World War II. Upon leaving the service, he worked in the steel industry in Detroit, where he was the assistant superintendent. He resigned from the steel industry to open his own supermarket and, after five years, relocated to Las Vegas. He was initially employed as a porter and then as an orderly at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital (now University Medical Center).
After leaving the hospital he went to work for Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo) as a clerk, advancing to senior clerk, clerk supervisor, material control agent, buyer, and senior buyer.
Williams' community interests included National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Nevada Lung Association, Optimist Club, National Black Caucus, and the Clark County Democratic Central Committee.
Aaron Williams Papers, 1965-1981. MS-00276. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Materials were donated in 1987 by Aaron Williams; accession number 87-36.
Carol Corbett, October 5, 1995. In 2017 Joyce Moore revised and enhanced the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.
Administrative Information
One publication, "City of North Las Vegas Celebrates It's 25th Silver Anniversary" (1971), was removed and transferred to Government Publications, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.