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Ivan Jackson oral history interview
Oral history interview with Ivan Jackson conducted by Sandy Steel on February 20, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview covers Jackson’s life in Southern Nevada. Jackson talks about his work on the Union Pacific Railroad as well as working with the Hampton Construction Company. Jackson also discusses environmental changes due to a growing population in Southern Nevada and its impact on hunting. The interview concludes with a discussion on the development of North Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Murl Emery oral history interview
Oral history interview with Murl Emery conducted by R. C. Turner on March 26, 1976 and April 02, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview covers early life and schooling in Nevada, and boating along the Colorado River.
Archival Collection
Transcript of Interview with Barbara Kirkland
On a sunny day in 1946, the train from Shreveport, Louisiana, stopped at The Plaza hotel in downtown Las Vegas like it always did. But on this particular day, Atha Toliver and her only child, twelve-year-old Barbara, stepped off the train and onto the dusty Western street of Fremont. Narrator Barbara Bates Kirkland recalls that event and living in Las Vegas for most of the next seven decades during this 2004 interview. Like many others who migrated from the South, Barbara Kirkland’s mother would find employment as a maid. A friend who already lived in Las Vegas had told her of the good paying jobs as private maid. So Atha who was determined that her daughter would get an education and a finer future saw this as her opportunity to achieve this for her daughter. Later, the entrepreneurial and creative mother opened Eva’s Flower Basket, a floral shop that Barbara operates in her retirement from teaching. Barbara returned to Louisiana for her senior year in high school, attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, and then returned to Las Vegas to teach first grade at Westside School. Barbara was active in the community, was a founding member of Les Femmes Douze, involved with Zion United Methodist Church and was friends with many of the early African American community leaders at the time. She talks about these, describes various neighborhoods where she lived and about raising her own two children in Las Vegas. Barbara was a founding member of Les Femmes Douze. AKA/Akateens.
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LeMoyne Legere oral history interview
Oral history interview with LeMoyne Legere conducted by Cecilia Branch on March 17, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Mrs. Legere discusses various differences in Las Vegas from the time she was growing up to the date of the interview. She also discusses her involvement in high school and what people do for recreation.
Archival Collection
Chester Davis oral history interview
Oral history interview with Chester Davis conducted by Keith Sargent on June 24, 1987 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In his interview Davis discusses his time working as a librarian in the James Dickinson Library at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Davis focuses his interview on a remodel of the library both at the physical and technological level.
Archival Collection
Bren Armstrong oral history interview
Oral history interview with Bren Armstrong conducted by an unknown collector on May 28, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview covers local politics and local newspapers, such as
Archival Collection
Gary Sanoff oral history interview
Oral history interview with Gary Sanoff conducted by David Schwartz on June 29, 2015 for the Table Games Management Oral History Project. In this interview, Sanoff recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1979 and going to dealer school to become a craps dealer. He discusses his work in casinos including the Nevada Hotel, the El Cortez, Union Plaza and the Desert Inn. Sanoff then describes his work at the Bellagio as pit manager, assistant shift manager, shift manager, Interim Vice President of Table Games, and director at the time of the interview.
Archival Collection
John Grayson oral history interview
Oral history interview with John Grayson conducted by Elizabeth N. Patrick on May 23, 1983 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. The interview covers Grayson’s experience with gaming in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Also present during John Grayson’s interview is Billy H. Gray, a longtime gaming associate of his, who helps Grayson go into greater detail about key events.
Archival Collection
Marguerite Goldstein oral history interview
Oral history interview with Marguerite Goldstein conducted by Carol A. Semendoff on February 25, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview covers early Las Vegas, Nevada from 1950 to 1979. Also included during this interview is discussion on local dignitaries, the growth of Las Vegas, gambling as the major industry, Las Vegas Strip hotels, and housing developments.
Archival Collection
Bunny Harris oral history interview
Oral history interview with Bunny Harris conducted by Kenneth P. Young on February 28, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project. This interview offers an overview of the history of Las Vegas, including transportation, mining, farming, ranching, and housing. During the interview, Mrs. Bunny Harris discusses the Elks Club, Cashman Field, McCarran Airport, Howard Hughes and Nellis Air Force Base.
Archival Collection