The Peoples Of Las Vegas: One City, Many Faces (Wilbur S. Shepperson Series in Nevada History)

Las Vegas is known the world over as an oasis of entertainment in the Nevada desert, but to more than a million people of exceptionally varied origins, it is also home. Yet this city is rarely mentioned in studies of ethnicity or immigration, and the rich diversity of its population is largely invisible to Las Vegans and visitors alike. Such ignorance can be partly explained by the effects of the city’s rapid growth. Las Vegas largely lacks traditional ethnic neighborhoods, and the restaurants and markets that cater to its diverse population groups are mostly hidden away in anonymous strip malls. Nonetheless, a remarkable variety of nationalities and ethnic groups has been drawn here since the city’s beginnings in 1905, and today Las Vegas’s vital service industry, entrepreneurial opportunities, reasonable cost of living, and appeal as a retirement center attract many more. Recent world events and international currents of immigration have only enhanced this diversity. In The Peoples of Las Vegas , seventeen scholars profile thirteen of the ethnic groups that make up their city’s population. The book’s introduction provides a historical and demographic context for the kaleidoscope of ethnicity that helps define Las Vegas today and analyzes the economic and social conditions that make Las Vegas so attractive to recent immigrants. The individual contributors--most of whom are members of the groups they write about, and who come from a broad array of disciplines--discuss the motivations and processes of their group’s migration to Las Vegas, economic pursuits, institutions and other means of preserving and transmitting their culture, involvement with the broader community, ties with their homelands, and recent demographic trends affecting each group. This collection of essays provides a provocative look into the vibrant ethnic life that lies just beneath the glittering surface of one of America’s most unusual cities Las Vegas is known the world over as an oasis of entertainment in the Nevada desert, but to more than a million people of exceptionally varied origins, it is also home. Yet this city is rarely mentioned in studies of ethnicity or immigration, and the rich diversity of its population is largely invisible to Las Vegans and visitors alike. Such ignorance can be partly explained by the effects of the city’s rapid growth. Las Vegas largely lacks traditional ethnic neighborhoods, and the restaurants and markets that cater to its diverse population groups are mostly hidden away in anonymous strip malls. Nonetheless, a remarkable variety of nationalities and ethnic groups has been drawn here since the city’s beginnings in 1905, and today Las Vegas’s vital service industry, entrepreneurial opportunities, reasonable cost of living, and appeal as a retirement center attract many more. Recent world events and international currents of immigration have only enhanced this diversity. In __The Peoples of Las Vegas__, seventeen scholars profile thirteen of the ethnic groups that make up their city’s population. The book’s introduction provides a historical and demographic context for the kaleidoscope of ethnicity that helps define Las Vegas today and analyzes the economic and social conditions that make Las Vegas so attractive to recent immigrants. The individual contributors--most of whom are members of the groups they write about, and who come from a broad array of disciplines--discuss the motivations and processes of their group’s migration to Las Vegas, economic pursuits, institutions and other means of preserving and transmitting their culture, involvement with the broader community, ties with their homelands, and recent demographic trends affecting each group. This collection of essays provides a provocative look into the vibrant ethnic life that lies just beneath the glittering surface of one of America’s most unusual cities Beneath the glitzy surface of the resorts and the seemingly cookie-cutter suburban sprawl of Las Vegas lies a vibrant and diverse ethnic life. People of varied origins make up the population of nearly two million and yet, until now, little mention of the city has been made in studies and discussion of ethnicity or immigration. The Peoples of Las Vegas: One City, Many Faces fills this void by presenting the work of seventeen scholars of history, political science, sociology, anthropology, law, urban studies, cultural studies, literature, social work, and ethnic studies to provide profiles of thirteen of the city's many ethnic groups. The book's introduction and opening chapters explore the historical and demographic context of these groups, as well as analyze the economic and social conditions that make Las Vegas so attractive to recent immigrants. Each group is the subject of the subsequent chapters, outlining migration motivations and processes, economic pursuits, cultural institutions and means of transmitting culture, involvement in the broader community, ties to homelands, and recent demographic trends. ISBN-13: 9780874176148 Contents 6 List of Illustrations 8 Preface 10 Introduction 12 1: Immigration, Ethnicity, and the Rise of Las Vegas 18 2: The Ethnic Diversification of Las Vegas 35 3: Southern Paiutes, the Native Americans 54 4: The Mexicans 73 5: The African Americans 95 6: The Chinese 115 7: The Greeks 149 8: The Italians 171 9: The Jews 190 10: The Croats 210 11: The Poles 229 12: The Filipinos 246 13: The Salvadorans 273 14: Peoples from the Indian Subcontinent 294 15: The Chileans 315 Contributors 329 Index 333 A 333 B 334 C 334 D 337 E 337 F 338 G 339 H 340 I 341 J 342 K 343 L 343 M 344 N 345 O 345 P 346 R 347 S 348 T 349 U 350 V 350 W 350 Y 351 Z 351 University,of,Nevada,Press University of Nevada Press "In The Peoples of Las Vegas, seventeen local scholars from several disciplines - most of them members of the groups they write about - profile thirteen of the ethnic groups that make up Las Vegas's population. They discuss the motivations and processes of their group's migration to Las Vegas, its economic pursuits, its institutions and other means of preserving traditional culture, its involvement with the broader community and its ties with the homeland: as well as national and international demographic trends affecting immigration into southern Nevada. Here is a look into the vibrant ethnic life that lies just beneath the glittering surface of one of America's most unusual cities."--Jacket

In The Peoples of Las Vegas, seventeen local scholars from several disciplines - most of them members of the groups they write about - profile thirteen of the ethnic groups that make up Las Vegas's population. They discuss the motivations and processes of their group's migration to Las Vegas, its economic pursuits, its institutions and other means of preserving traditional culture, its involvement with the broader community and its ties with the homeland: as well as national and international demographic trends affecting immigration into southern Nevada. Here is a look into the vibrant ethnic life that lies just beneath the glittering surface of one of America's most unusual cities.

'The Peoples of Las Vegas' profiles the ethnic groups that make up their city's population. It looks into the ethnic life that lies beneath the surface of one of America's most unusual cities, provides historical and demographic context for such ethnicity and analyses the economic and social conditions that make it attractive to immigrants. Paris, Luxor, Bellagio, the Rio, the Sahara, and the Imperial Palace are more than Familiar Las Vegas icons.