An Interview with Estralita C. Williams
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An Interview with Estralita C. Williams An Oral History Conducted by B. Leon Green African American Collaborative Oral History Research Center at UNLV University Libraries University of Nevada Las Vegas i ©African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project University of Nevada Las Vegas, 2012 COMMUNITY PARTNERS Henderson Libraries Las Vegas Clark County Public Libraries Oral History Research Center at UNLV Libraries University of Nevada Las Vegas Libraries Wiener-Rogers Law Library at William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas Las Vegas National Bar Association Vegas PBS Clark County Museum Produced by: The Oral History Research Center at UNLV - University Libraries Director: Claytee D. White Project Manager: Barbara Tabach Transcriber: Kristin Hicks Interviewers, Editors and Project Assistants: Barbara Tabach, Claytee D. White, B. Leon Green, John Grygo, and Delores Brownlee. ii The recorded interview and transcript have been made possible through the generosity of a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant. The Oral History Research Center enables students and staff to work together with community members to generate this selection of first-person narratives. The participants in this project thank University of Nevada Las Vegas for the support given that allowed an idea the opportunity to flourish. The transcript received minimal editing that includes the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. In several cases photographic sources accompany the individual interviews. The following interview is part of a series of interviews conducted under the auspices of the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. Claytee D. White Director, Oral History Research Center University Libraries University Nevada Las Vegas iii Preface Estralita C. Williams was born (1956) and raised in Las Vegas, a Clark High School graduate. Her parents had relocated from Arkansas before her birth. Her father who worked as the janitor at the Huntridge Theater and her mother, a housekeeper, raised their five children in a deeply religious environment. Her father became pastor at the Upper Room Church of God in Christ. She and her sisters were active in the choir, which was often featured as backup for celebrity musicians such as Paul Anka. Estralita describes the neighborhoods and streets of her youth on the Westside. She paints an image of herself as studious and reserved, someone who preferred being in the school library. Though she can recall the segregation and unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s, she also playfully shares family stories of growing up in West Las Vegas. She also shares the pride she took in her work at the EOB (Economic Opportunity Board) and the chance to hone her administrative and secretarial skills, which prepared her for her office management position today. iv Table of Contents Interview with Estralita C. Williams February 13, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada Conducted by B. Leon Green Preface iv Frontispiece viii Born 1956,shortly after her family moved to Las Vegas from Arkansas. She describes growing up on Gold (Avenue) Street; then Bailey Circle, across the street from Doolittle Park. Shares her experiences at two elementary schools she attended, Matt Kelly Elementary, then J.T. McWilliams; Talks about her first white friends, carpooling and the day that Martin Luther King Jr. died 1 - 8 Father worked as Huntridge Theater janitor; mother a day-worker, a housekeeper. Father becomes pastor at the Upper Room Church of God in Christ. Talks about importance of church in her life; bullied after school 9 - 12 Talks about Clark High School episode (1971-1972) during which black students staged a demonstration regarding discrimination in cheerleading tryouts; she was only black student to attend class that day and Principal Cram called her into his office; becomes unintentional spokesperson for the situation 13 - 15 Reflects on how her past helped her to be open-minded; work-study program in high school inspired her path to be an accountant. Talks about home entertainment; having older sisters; eating and singing as a family. Shares story about writing songs and forming the Hall Sisters singing group. Other family outings: Lake Mead, Mt Charleston, Circus Circus 16 - 21 Mentions working at Centel Telephone, attending UNLV, working for David Hoggard at EOB. With persistence she completes her business administration degree in 2011. Recalls a story from her youth when about Bishop Cox from Upper Room COGIC. Also, other anecdotes about growing up in a religious family: challenges of PE class due to religion; sister participating in Helldorado parade story; dating, etc 22 - 29 Mentions summer job as a maid at Baghdad Inn (downtown). Tells of Sunshine Band and other church responsibilities; singing fulltime in choir; learning church secretary's job; playing organ for choir. Recalls additional prominent West Las Vegas church leaders: Rev. Bennett, Gladys Smith, Rev. James Cleveland, Sam Roberson. Talks about singer Paul Anka, how he involved the church choir, and herself, in his show on the Strip; later other singers used the choir when performing locally. Briefly mentions mother's participation in Meals on Wheels; Bob Bailey; Fordyce Club; Moulin Rouge; other early Jackson Street businesses her family patronized 30 - 38 v Recalls elections in West Las Vegas; being sheltered from local segregation and desegregation by parents; 1969 riots, burning of local churches, picking up her grandmother. Describes living on Bailey Circle in a new neighborhood. Talks about working for EOB and her knowledge of economic development on Westside; project homes; other thoughts about Westside personalities and past events; evolution of Westside 39 - 52 Photo pages 53 - 55 Index 56 - 57 vi I'm Leon Green and I'm here with Estralita Williams for an interview at the UNLV Oral History Research Center. Today is February 13, 2013. Good morning, Ms. Williams. Good morning. The first question I'd like to ask you is when and where were you born? I was born in 1956 here in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Las Vegas Hospital. Fabulous. What's your parents' names and siblings' names? My dad's name is Carruth Hall and my mom is Lois Hall; she was a Wright Hall. My siblings are—my oldest sister is Harriett Johnson. The next one is Anna Jean Lee. And my youngest sister is Carrita Hall Blakely. And my brother's name is Carruth Hall the Second. And what brought your parents here to Las Vegas? From what I could gather I had an uncle that came here first and he said that if you need work come down here to Las Vegas; they have a lot of places to work. So my parents picked up and brought my two older sisters here and they lived with my mom's brother, Eddie Wright, for a while, they say; I don't remember any of this stuff. By the time I was born they were in their own place. Do you recall what year? No. I think they said they had been living here two years before I was born. Where did they come from? What did they tell me? Hot Springs, Arkansas. Both of your parents? Uh-huh. They had moved there after they got married and they had my two older sisters and they came here. 1 Tell me something about your childhood with your siblings. Any events that stick in your mind? With my sisters? [Laughing] Let me see. I know we grew up on Gold Street; I think they call it Gold Avenue, but I call it Gold Street. And what do I remember? Describe that neighborhood, by the way. The neighborhood, it was all black people; I will say that. But it wasn't necessarily black people low income; it was black people upper on one side of us and middle class on the other side. I remember one neighbor whose house, he actually built apartments in the back of his house. It used to be fun just to go see who was coming in and out of there. But you stay outside and play. Outside and play, that's something they don't do any more. But I used to be outside and play a lot until it got darker and then we'd go in the house. I basically played with neighbors. My sisters were older than me, so I kind of would make them play with me sometime. But I have one sister that was really sick; had stomach cancer. I just remember always having to rub her stomach. I know this sounds crazy, but I used to always have to rub her stomach. We lived in this house that had a screen door. You don't see too many houses with a screen door. The reason why I remember that is because I liked when it rained. And when it rained my mother would always open up the door and let the screen door stayed closed. So I would lie on the floor and watch the rain, watch it through the screen door. Not much with my—I keep trying to think of something I did with my sisters that's so great. They used to beat me up because I told everything they did. Just go to school. I liked school, so I remember school. 2 Before you tell me about school, tell me about Doolittle Park, Doolittle Recreation Center, because I believe that was close to your neighborhood? Okay. After we moved from Gold Street, we moved to Bailey Circle, which was across the street from Doolittle. Doolittle was behind us because I used to walk to school, to Matt Kelly Elementary School, and they built Doolittle right next door.