What was it really like to be a hotel maid or a showgirl in Las Vegas 50 years ago?
For the inside skinny on the experiences of these and other women involved in the city's casino, hotel, and entertainment industries in years gone by, plan to attend one of two presentations on the topic scheduled for September.
"Women in Las Vegas Gaming and Entertainment, 1940s - 1970s," a slide lecture featuring three speakers, is scheduled for Sept. 12 and 14. It is part of the Las Vegas Women in Gaming and Entertainment Oral History Project, which is being directed by UNLV history professor Joanne Goodwin.
The first presentation will take place 6-8 p.m. Sept. 12 in the auditorium of the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History on the UNLV campus. It will be preceded by a reception from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The second presentation will take place 4-6 p.m. Sept. 14 in the lecture hall of the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd. A reception will follow at 6 p.m.
The presentations and the receptions are free and open to the public.
Topics to be discussed during the presentations include:
- "From Fordyce to Fortune, From Tallulah to Tinsel Town: The Story of Black Women Migrants," presented by Claytee D. White.
- "A Class Act: The Realities of Work, Family, and Culture for the Las Vegas Showgirl, 1950-1970," presented by Joyce Marshall.
- "Promise and Prosperity: Korean Kim Sisters' Courageous Journey to Success," presented by Myoung-ja Lee Kwon.
Funding for the events is being provided by the Nevada Humanities Committee.
For additional information on either presentation or on the oral history project, call Goodwin at (702) 895-1026.
