On March 13, 1981, Dana Jamerson interviewed Harold McKay (b. July 27th, 1903 in Dresden, Kansas) about his life as a teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada. McKay speaks about his education, his move from Chicago, Illinois to Las Vegas and how he began his career in education. McKay focuses on how and why he founded the Teacher’s Credit Union, his time working in administration and his business school, as well as the problems related to segregation and integration in the educational system. Lastly, he talks about the growth of the gaming and entertainment industry in Las Vegas, and his volunteer work with the Senior Citizen Center.
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Oral history interview with Eugenia Ohrenschall Daykin conducted by Claytee D. White on August 8 and 15, 2023 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Daykin describes her early childhood, moving from Greece to New York, then later to Washington, D.C. with her mother. Daykin attended George Washington University and Georgetown University Law Center. After learning about potential jobs in northern Nevada, she moved to the McCarran Ranch near Reno and worked for Robert Ziemer Hawkins at Hawkins Rhodes Hawkins Law. Later relocating to Las Vegas, she married her husband, John Ohrenschall, and together started a family practice. Dayton ran for the Nevada State Assembly and served 12 years, intrducing bills on domestic violence protection, used car sales, and allowing judges in Juvenile Court more freedom in sentencing during her time. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
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Oral history interview with William W. Morris conducted by Sam King on February 22, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Morris discusses University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) athletics department. Morris describes UNLV Basketball during the late 1970s and recalls the coaches of the team from 1958 to 1973. Morris then discusses the developments of UNLV Basketball at the time and their progress throughout the years. Later, Morris describes plans to begin construction of the Thomas and Mack Center and gives details of how funds were raised to construct the facility. Morris then talks about the integration of women sports to the athletics department and the success of women sports teams. Lastly, Morris provides his opinions on why Las Vegas, Nevada shouldn’t have a professional sports team.
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Oral history interview with Dorothy Wright conducted by Claytee Wright on April 23, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Wright opens her interview by discussing her parents and their upbringings. She then describes her father's time in the Marines during World War II and his death a few years later. Wright then talks about her stepfather and her family's move to Las Vegas, Nevada for her stepfather's job at the Nevada Test Site. Wright describes moving away from Las Vegas to attend college in Washington and, returning to Las Vegas in 1968. She talks about attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, working for the Nevada Humanities Committee, and active African American civic groups in the 1970s. Wright ends the interview highlighting some of the major Las Vegas projects she wrote grants for including the Neon Museum and the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign.
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Oral history interview with Jacob Snow conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee White on August 29, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Snow discusses the ways that infrastructure accommodated Southern Nevada's growth. He discusses McCarran's Terminal Three, the Las Vegas Monorail, University of Las Vegas, Nevada (UNLV) football stadium, the Bruce Woodbury Beltway, and the Fremont Street Experience. Snow discusses his career as general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission, where he worked with Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, and his three years as city manager for the City of Henderson.
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Oral history interview with Leah Chan Grinvald conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on January 22, 2024 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Grinvald discusses growing up with a large Chinese family on her father's side, and an Orthodox Jewish family on her mother's side. Grinvald talks about family, identity, traditions, and schooling. She discusses how she became interested in law, her legal career, and volunteer work with the affinity Bars in Nevada, the State Bar of Nevada Board of Bar Governors, and the Association of American Law Schools Deans Council Executive Committee. She also talks about meeting her Israeli husband, marrying him in Israel, and living there for a year.
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Oral history interview with Harvey Allen conducted by Claytee D. White on December 12, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview Allen speaks about working for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, working in a segregated casino, and the opening of the first integrated casino in Las Vegas, Nevada: The Moulin Rouge. In addition, he spoke about hosting the "All-Nighters Club Convention", a popular talk show on KDON radio, and teaching classes at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) for 31 years.
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Oral history interview with Charles Nur Fernald conducted by Claytee D. White on May 31, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview Charles Nur Fernald discusses permanently moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in January 1968 to perform with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino. He discusses auditioning for the Lido de Paris show at the Stardust Hotel and Casino. He talks about how he remained there for sixteen years and how he is the only male dancer who performed with Lido through five different consecutive productions. Fernald also discusses meeting his partner, Aquiles Garcia in 1969.
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Oral history interview with Freddy Chavez conducted by Marcela Rodriguez Campo, Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez, Maribel Estrada Calderon, and Barbara Tabach on February 7, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Chavez recalls his early life and childhood in Bolivia, where he was born. Chavez talks about why he left his home country and the experiences he had in Brazil. After spending a few years in Brazil, Chavez came to the United States on a student visa to learn English. He discusses his immigration to Florida and his brief marriage. In 2001, Chavez made his way to Las Vegas, Nevada where he founded the Las Vegas Carnaval International, a parade celebrating Mardi Gras and the cultures that celebrate it. Chavez discusses his experience working with parades and his passion for event organizing, as well as his civic engagements.
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