Oral history interview with Claudine Williams conducted by Joanne Goodwin on November 20, 1997 and November 09, 2005 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Goodwin begins the interview by discussing growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and how she supported her single mother. She goes on to describe her education and early jobs in restaurants and newsstands in Texas. Goodman then talks about meeting her husband, Shelby Williams, and how she became involved in the gaming industry, including her work with Benny Binion in Dallas, Texas and Jake Freidman in Houston, Texas. She describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963, and how she and Shelby developed the Silver Slipper Casino, which was sold to Howard Hughes, and Holiday Casino, which eventually became Harrah's Hotel and Casino. Williams also speaks about her community involvement, including philanthropic efforts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Alma Whitney conducted by Claytee D. White on March 03, 1996 and May 28, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Whitney opens the interview by talking about her life in Tallulah, Louisiana. She discusses race relations in Tallulah and how she traveled from Tallulah to Las Vegas, Nevada. Whitney describes her first job as a maid at the Desert Moon Motel, and her move later to the Desert Inn Hotel. Whitney discusses her career of over 30 years at the Desert Inn along with her promotion from maid to supervisor. Whitney also describes a time when Desert Inn employees went on strike for three weeks.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Catherine Gullo (C.G.) Bellver conducted by Caryll Batt Dziedziak on November 13, 1995, November 20, 1995, and December 04, 1995 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Bellver begins her interviews by discussing gender roles within her family and extended family, and how those shaped her early life and education. Bellver then discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada and her career at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she began as a Spanish professor. Bellver then talks about her involvement in starting and maintaining a Women's Studies Program at the UNLV. Bellver discusses the initial steps she took to create the department, the original curriculum, and student reception of the courses. Later, Bellver talks about the successes and challenges of the Women's Studies program several years after it's establishment.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Florence McClure conducted by Joanne Goodwin on January 24, 1996 and February 06, 1996 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. McClure begins her interviews by discussing her family experiences growing up during the Great Depression. McClure then describes her early career working for the Illinios Department of Public Welfare, her travels around the country with her husband, and eventual settling in Las Vegas, Nevada. McClure then talks about the League of Women Voters, the fight for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, and her experience lobbying. McClure also discusses one of her most well known achievements: the creation of the Community Action Against Rape (Rape Crisis Center) and the process of founding the center.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Sarann Knight Preddy conducted by Claytee D. White on June 05, 1997 and March 11, 1998 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Preddy begins her interview by discussing her upbringing in Oklahoma. Preddy then talks about moving to Las Vegas in 1942 and her first job at the Cotton Club. She then discusses moving to Hawthorne, Nevada, buying her club, the Lincoln Bar, and working for the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement Colored People (NAACP). Preddy also talks about gaining gaming licenses for her establishments and about the migration patterns of the African American community in Nevada. She describes the Westside community, education, and prejudice in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lastly, Preddy describes important places and people in the Las Vegas community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Liliam Lujan Hickey conducted by Layne Karafantis on March 18, 2010 and March 25, 2010 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Hickey begins her interviews describing growing up in Havana, Cuba in the 1930s, getting married at 16, and her life with her family in Cuba until they felt compelled to leave in 1960 to the United States. Hickey recounts her transition to American culture and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1964. She then discusses marrying her second husband, Tom Hickey, and her campaign for the Nevada Board of Education. Hickey also talks about a Hispanic community organization she helped created, Circulo Cuban, which eventually merged into the Latin Chamber of Commerce. Finally, she discusses how the organization promotes Hispanic culture, and her work to improve education in Las Vegas, and other community activism.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Margaret and Frank Price conducted by Joanne L. Goodwin on March 05, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Margaret Price opens the interview by describing the family's move from Ohio to Las Vegas, Nevada for Frank's health in 1950. Price then moves on to describe her experiences and the people she met while working as a waitress at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino. Margaret and Frank Price then discuss Margaret's career at the Dunes, and the variety of entertainment acts available in the 1950s. The Prices also describe job stability, worker benefits, and unions during the 1950s. Frank then discusses organized crime in Las Vegas and its relation to law enforcement and sex work. He also talks about the various casinos he worked at and the effects that the shift from individual owners to corporate ownership had on the casino industry. The interview ends with both Prices sharing their memories and knowledge of Binion's Hotel and Casino.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Myrna Williams conducted by Suzanne Becker and Joanne L. Goodwin on April 16, 2008, April 21, 2008, and June 15, 2009 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Williams begins her interview discussing her family and their performance background. Williams then discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada from New York with her young family. Williams describes her involvement with the local Democratic party and work on election campaigns. She also talks about her work to create a legitimate social work program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Williams also describes her ten year tenure on the Nevada State Assembly and her time on the Clark County Commission. Lastly, she talks about her community activism in the Public Education Foundation and Anti-Defamation League.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Stella Butterfield conducted by Joanne L. Goodwin on October 14, 2005 and October 25, 2005 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Butterfield opens her interviews discussing her family and childhood in the Bronx, New York, in the 1930s and 1940s. Butterfield then talks about her work for the U.S. Coast Guard as a typist during World War II and as a teletype operator for the U.S. Air Force. Butterfield then describes how her teletype operator job eventually moved her to Panama, and her experiences there. She then discusses her move with her husband Frank to Las Vegas, Nevada for his assignment at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB). Butterfield discusses becoming a court reporter at Nellis AFB and describes the city of Henderson, Nevada. Lastly, Butterfield talks about becoming a civilian court reporter for U.S. District Judge Roger T. Foley and her experiences as a freelance court reporter.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Marge Conley conducted by Claytee White on May 06, 1998 and July 09, 1998 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Conley opens her interviews discussing her childhood in Chicago, Illinois during the Great Depression including her experience working at a young age to help her family. She discusses her experiences with unions throughout the country and using her union traveling card to transfer from Chicago to Las Vegas, Nevada. Conely talks about her career as a server at the Desert Inn and Caesars Palace including topics about staffing, wages, and working conditions. She describes her association with the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, how strikes were organized, and the union's efforts to improve others' lives. She also talks about how the local Culinary Union helped promote women and African Americans into leadership positions. Conley ends her interview discussing the importance of unions and the need to continue them in the future.
Archival Collection
