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Photograph of entertainer Bob Hope, 1967
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Frances Montes oral history interviews
Oral history interviews with Frances Montes conducted by Barbara Agonia on October 25, 2001, November 02, 2001, December 28, 2001, and August 24, 2002 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Montes begins her interviews by describing growing up in a Latinx community in San Antonio, Texas in the 1940s. She discusses the rich culture of her community as well as her experiences with racism. Montes then describes her adult life with her husband Jerry and living overseas in France and Spain and her experiences working for the the civil service while abroad. Montes later talks about returning to the United States and her family's move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1970. Montes discusses joining the Nevada Association of Latin Americans (NALA) and goes on to describe her involvement in the Las Vegas community, working to recruit Latinx students to the community college system, working for NALA, the Latin Chamber of Commerce, and eventually becoming president of Hispanics in Politics (HIP).
Archival Collection
Sam Diaz oral history interview
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.
Archival Collection
Map showing detailed topography of the country traversed by the reconnaissance expedition through southern & southeastern Nevada, 1869 (reproduction)
no. 1. Reproduction. Map is printed in purple. Scale of original map: [1:760,320]. 1 in. to approx. 12 miles. Includes dots hand-colored with red pencil marking Indian rancherias.
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Transcript of an interview with Tom Kerestesi by Wendy Starkweather on October 3rd, 2013
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Audio clip of an interview with Tom Kerestesi by Wendy Starkweather on October 3rd, 2013
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Audio recording clip from the fourth interview with Senator Joe Neal by Claytee D. White, March 24, 2006
Part of the fourth interview with Senator Joe Neal conducted by Claytee D. White on March 24, 2006. Five interviews cover Neal's life from his birth in Mounds, Louisiana, in 1935 to his service as a local politician and community leader. Shortly after joining his family in Las Vegas, Neal served in the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1958. Following his military service, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Neal continued his education at the Institute of Applied Science in Chicago, Illinois, with postgraduate work in law. From 1973 to 2001, he served in the Nevada Legislature as the Senator from Clark County Senatorial District No. 4. In the clip, Neal comments on his experience in Nevada politics.
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Transcript of interview with Dr. Joseph Rojas by Lisa Gioia-Acres, September 30, 2008
Dr. Joseph Rojas, born 1933 in Alexandria, Louisiana, was the son of Joseph Edward Rojas and wife Carroll. He graduated high school at age 16 and entered Loyola University of the South. Two years later he was accepted at Louisiana State University School of Medicine, graduating with a medical degree in 1957. He interned at Charity Hospital and then completed his OB-GYN residency at Tulane University. Several mentors worked with Dr. Rojas during his residency and he recalls learning surgical and bed-side skills from the likes of Dr. Lynn White and Dr. Fred Janson. He also remembers the very high volume of patients - up to 300 - that he and other residents saw daily. Dr. Rojas married Mona Robicheaux, RN, during his residency and afterwards joined the Air Force. He and his family — they eventually had six children — were stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, arriving in Las Vegas in 1961. He was chief of OBGYN and deputy hospital commander while at Nellis and then served as chief of OBGYN at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital until 1972. He later served as chief of staff at Women's Hospital and Valley Hospital, and was the first chief of staff at Summerlin Hospital. Dr. Rojas also maintained a private practice outside of the hospital. His wife worked alongside him in his office, and they share memories and anecdotes of the patients they saw and the general atmosphere of the medical community. Both Joseph and Mona agree that Las Vegas hospitals were less racially segregated than the hospitals in Louisiana, and felt that the West was more open to integration. In 1966 Dr. Rojas started the first OB-GYN residency in Nevada, which led to the development of the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He was a researcher, lecturer, teacher, and author. He earned many awards, including the Harold Feikes MD Award for Outstanding Physician in Clark County (2001), and the Nevada State Medical Association Distinguished Physician Award (1980). Dr. Rojas passed away in May of 2009, leaving behind an incredible legacy of service to the residents of Clark County.
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