Names like Don Laughlin, Harvey Munford and Carol Harter may not mean much to the average Nevadan, but at one point, they were helping to call the shots around Clark County.
Laughlin, a casino magnate, essentially established the town that bears his name.
Munford, a titan in the area’s Black community, was an educator who led efforts against Las Vegas’ racist past and pushed for greater cultural understanding.
Then there’s Carol Harter who helped secure UNLV’s place as a top-tier research institute.
Each of them, incredibly impactful in their own way. They’re also among those Nevadans who have died this year. So, we thought we’d take this time of year where, in some cultures, it’s important to remember those who came before us.
DON LAUGHLIN
Donald J. Laughlin will perhaps always be remembered as a maverick. Bucking the trend to build casinos on the Strip, Laughlin transformed a stretch of desert about 100 miles south of Las Vegas into a boomtown beraing his name.
Laughlin died at the age of 92 on Oct. 22.
Built along the banks of the Colorado river, at the very southern tip of Nevada, Laughlin set his sights on building a rival to Las Vegas.
According to University of Nevada, Las Vegas History Professor Michael Green, Laughlin was among the long list of people who come to Nevada seeking their fortune.
“Don Laughlin was driven. He was smart. He knew how to build a gaming town, and I think that speaks to how Laughlin, the town, became so important. You consider that he built his own bridge because people were having trouble getting over Davis Dam. He was one of that generation that was going to get things done. You might compare him with the prospector who is looking for the big gold or silver strike.”
Part of his success was due to his ability to tap into the market or working-class residents of the Southwest.
HARVEY MUNFORD
Former Nevada Assemblyman Harvey Munford, a beloved educator and community leader also died last month, Oct. 26, at the age of 83.
Munford moved to Las Vegas to take a teaching job in 1966, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. He then would go on to spend the next 40 years working as an educator, coach and community in the Historic Westside before getting elected to the legislature in 2004.
During his time in office, Munford focused much of his attention toward improving the state’s public education system and bolstering multicultural learning.
"Harvey wasn't the very first black legislator, but he was among the first at a time when it wasn't common,” said Smith. “We look at the wonderful blend of ethnicity in our legislature today, and it's easy to take that for granted. But it wasn't so long ago that Harvey Munford could have could have stood by himself, for the most part.”
Munford’s political career largely ended in 2016, after six terms in the state assembly, though last year, the city of Las Vegas cemented his legacy by renaming Sunny Place, the road Munford lived on for decades, in his honor.
CAROL HARTER
Harter was the first woman to hold the top job at UNLV, serving for 11 years, from 1995 to 2006.
During her tenure, Harter oversaw the construction of 17 buildings on the campus, including the Lied Library, as well as the development of the Boyd School of Law and the School of Dentistry.
For Green, who still teaches on campus, Harter’s tenure is hard to ignore.
“She was a driving force behind expanding the offerings of the university,” Green said. “She saw what UNLV could become. She did so much to bring UNLV to the level it now enjoys, and [is] certainly one of the most consequential people in the history of this campus.”
Harter was also responsible for the push for UNLV to seek recognition as a top-tier research institute – a goal the university achieved in 2018.
“She was formidable,” said Smith. “She wasn't universally liked. She had critics throughout her tenure... She couldn't please everybody. I don't think she tried to, but you have to look back and say UNLV [would be] a very different place without someone with that level of backbone.”
Guests: John L. Smith, journalist and author; Michael Green, professor of history, UNLV
