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Full-Text Articles in History
Interview No. 1388, Maria Zarate
Interview No. 1388, Maria Zarate
Combined Interviews
Maria Zarate was born in Paracho, Michoacán, México. Her father worked as a bracero in the United States. At a young age her father pasted away, for this reason she started working with her brothers caring for animal and planting seeds. At an age of twenty, she married for the first time. One year later, her husband passed away. Eight years later she married a second time only to take care of her second husband’s daughters. Her second husband, Federico worked as a bracero in the United States in 1954. Ms. Zarate lasted long periods of time without her husband …
Interview No. 1424, Feliciano Zarupe
Interview No. 1424, Feliciano Zarupe
Combined Interviews
Feliciano never went to school and from a very young age he began working, collecting resin from pine trees so it could be processed for various needs. Feliciano entered the Bracero Program in 1960 and the first part of the recruitment process, the physical examination, took place in Empalme. Then they were sent to Calexico where they were dusted against lice. Feliciano first went to Oxnard in Parque del Sol when he arrived in the United States and then was sent to Lompoc in Santa Maria county, California where he worked harvested lettuce for 45 days. A typical day began …
Interview No. 1598, Felipe Pavon Munoz
Interview No. 1598, Felipe Pavon Munoz
Combined Interviews
In 1942 he saw a newspaper announcing the hiring of Mexican men, he explains in detail the negotiations that occurred between the United States and Mexico; he recalls braceros arriving to the national stadium in Mexico City; in 1944 he registered as a bracero; he details his physical examination, explaining that it consisted of a rectal exam, lice check, fumigation, a shower, blood work, and a detail inspection of their entire naked body; he remembers that once in the United States braceros were lined up and distributed out without knowledge of where they were going; he describes living in a …
Interview No. 1589, Bill Stone
Interview No. 1589, Bill Stone
Combined Interviews
Discusses using Mexican labor from 1954 to 1959 to pick cotton. Difficulties with Labor Department inspectors prompts family to discontinue using Mexican labor and to purchase cotton picker. Discusses sending money home for the Mexicans.
Interview No. 1602, Fred Bourland
Interview No. 1602, Fred Bourland
Combined Interviews
He remembers working on his father’s farmland; he picked cotton, soy beans, and wheat alongside Mexican workers; buses would bring in black men who worked as choppers, while white migrant workers, worked as pickers; Mexican workers were brought in when extra labor was needed, they would be subcontracted out to smaller farms; he remembers seeing 50 to 100 men working alongside one another; the Mexican workers were housed in barracks and slept in army cots; he recalls the Farm Bureau and Extension Agents in the fields, inspecting the conditions of the workers; he states that Mexican men were hard working …
Interview No. 1580, James Bourland
Interview No. 1580, James Bourland
Combined Interviews
Mr. Bourland said his father did not employed braceros on their farm, so he had no direct contact with them.
Interview No. 1582, Sam Mcneill
Interview No. 1582, Sam Mcneill
Combined Interviews
Farmer in England, Arkansas, who employed Bracero in late 1950’s. Employed 90 Mexicans. Housed in old school. Dispute over wages settled by Mexican Consulate. He learned well digging techniques. Worker purchased gun and accidently shot himself in leg.
Interview No. 1588, Wonda Lou Wonicar, Norma Emison
Interview No. 1588, Wonda Lou Wonicar, Norma Emison
Combined Interviews
Born Caraway ARK Oct 10 1939. Many family farms. Parents farmed. Went to school in Caroway grades 1-4-5-12. During school year had to chop and pick cotton. Split school term. Father employed Mexicans during 50's. Formed an association and one man would go to the border and bring large number back on Murphy farm approx. 25. Would fix up houses accommodation for them. Farm owner would do this. Mexicans were a great help on the farm. Doesn't remember other than Mexicans being contracted to the farm. Norma worked at a store in Caraway. Mexicans would buy good such as clothes …
Interview No. 1599, Dolores Atkins
Interview No. 1599, Dolores Atkins
Combined Interviews
She recalls that Parkin was a farm community and everyone worked in the fields; her parents encouraged her and her six siblings to get an education, but states that no one went to school during picking season; she explains that on Saturday families would take their children to pick cotton and would get to keep what they earned; she details the segregation in town, explaining how they ordered food from a service window marked blacks; she remembers that everyone stuck with their own race; consequently, Mexicans only came into town for liquor and food, then returned to their barracks; she …
Interview No. 1591, Jonathan Abbot
Interview No. 1591, Jonathan Abbot
Combined Interviews
Describes the vivid colors of the crew leaders trades. He comments on the laborers purchasing trade singer sewing machines to take back to Mexico. Discusses housing and social interaction at the Mexican barracks on the Stallings farm at Yarbro, AR.
Interview No. 1590, Don Stallings
Interview No. 1590, Don Stallings
Combined Interviews
Father farmer 2000 acres of cotton and owned/operated a gin at Yarrow, AR. From 1963, his father contracted for 300 bracero laborers. Constructional and maintains the Mexican barrotes on his farm. Contracted with a Texas Mexican Jesus Salinas to provide andmanage all of the laborers. Length of
Interview No. 1592, Marion Haynes
Interview No. 1592, Marion Haynes
Combined Interviews
Discusses interaction with Mexican laborers. The Mexican Barracks on the Stallings farm and the ‘frame time’. Activities of the laborers
Interview No. 1581, Harrison Locke
Interview No. 1581, Harrison Locke
Combined Interviews
African-American farmer. No braceros on his farm but he remember them in tour on plantations. Machines just beginning to come in. became a principal of school, taught for a years. Taught 56- 62. Remember 1st cotton picker. Describe conditions in farm. Discussing segregation. What’s not picking as much cotton. Mercanization people out of the area to Midwestern cities. Rice area. Also stopped Mexican migrant worker. Discusses the importance of training. College as UA-PB. Workeron the farm as a kid. Father Abb Locke, mother Rubby Locke; 3 younger brothers. Late 1940's, early 1950’s no machines. They had houses on the farm …
Interview No. 1579, Sam Ashworth
Interview No. 1579, Sam Ashworth
Combined Interviews
Mexican just bought what was a needed canned goods. Mechanization station, late 1950’s into 1960’s. Asked about a good incident and a bad incident. Would go into Blade Club’s. Black women would make money. Mexicans married black women. Length
Interview No. 1593, Max Render
Interview No. 1593, Max Render
Combined Interviews
Relates his memory of bracero cotton picker cohosted through local and employed by his father. Discusses their work and living conditions. Also talks briefly of other tasks performed by bracero labor.
Interview No. 1436, Félix Flores Juan
Interview No. 1436, Félix Flores Juan
Combined Interviews
Mr. Flores describes what life was like when he was growing up and working with his father as a fisherman; he recalls men coming to town to recruit people for the bracero program; later, when he married, there were no more fish, which prompted him to enlist in the bracero program; he took a boat off the island and then took a bus with a group of men to Empalme, Sonora, México; as a bracero, he worked in the fields of Texas, picking and packing various crops; he goes on to detail housing, provisions, duties, treatment, contract renewals, payment, remittances, …
Interview No. 1658, Maria Andres Ramires
Interview No. 1658, Maria Andres Ramires
Combined Interviews
She recalls her father travelled to the U.S. several times as a bracero to harvest cotton, strawberries, and tomatoes, and returned immediately after his contract was over. She remembers that she attended up to second grade in school, since she did not have time to do homework because she was the one that helped her mother gathering wood so her mother could make tortillas and sell them to people in town that had helpers at their houses. Both of her parents did not go to school since they never had time to attend. Her mother contributed to the family income …
Interview No. 1457, Custodio Navarrete Cárdenas
Interview No. 1457, Custodio Navarrete Cárdenas
Combined Interviews
Custodio Navarrete Cardeas worked with his father caring for animals in the field. Navarrete was hired as a bracero in 1961. He traveled to Calexico in order to know his future work place. The first city where Navarrete worked was in King City, California cutting lettuce and carrots. Navarrete lived with all the other workers close to the work place. He played cards in his free time with other workers, sometimes he won money but sometimes lost the check. Mr. Navarrete went back to Mexico after his contract. Navarrete was shot and was not able to return to work as …
Interview No. 1456, Julio Valentín May May
Interview No. 1456, Julio Valentín May May
Combined Interviews
Mr. May talks about growing up in a poor town and working to maintain an ejido; one of his older brothers enlisted in the bracero program and encouraged him to do the same; during the early sixties, Julio could not find work, and he had a wife and daughter to support; ultimately, he decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps and enrolled in the program; the names of eligible workers were printed in the newspaper, which he explains is how he knew when to go to the contracting center; he describes going to Empalme, Sonora, México, and the difficulties …
Interview No. 1427, Alonso Ayala
Interview No. 1427, Alonso Ayala
Combined Interviews
Mr. Ayala talks about his family and what life was like growing up; for a time, he worked on a finca, where he earned eight pesos for an eight to ten hour day, which was not enough to survive; he compares such work to slavery; after completing his military service when he was roughly nineteen years old, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; he went through contracting centers in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, and Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; as a bracero, he worked in the fields of California, Montana and Texas, picking beets, cantaloupe, cotton, lettuce and strawberries; he …
Interview No. 1441, José Medina Torres
Interview No. 1441, José Medina Torres
Combined Interviews
Mr. Medina talks about his father and what his life was like growing up; he knew about the bracero program because, his brother-in-law and several men from town joined in the midforties; José decided to enlist in 1955, and he went to the contracting center in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, with a group of thirty other men; he briefly describes waiting in lines at the center while getting processed; in addition, he went though centers in Empalme, Sonora, México, and Distrito Federal, México; he also mentions that in Empalme, he paid a coyote four hundred pesos for a contract; as …
Interview No. 1451, Gabriel Ramos Ibañez
Interview No. 1451, Gabriel Ramos Ibañez
Combined Interviews
Gabriel Ramos Ibáñez started working since he was seven years old; He heard about the bracero program when he was twenty six years old; He started working in Arizona for two years watering lettuce and vegetables; he traveled to Manteca, California and picked peaches, nuts and tomatoes. He renewed his contract and worked in Bythe, Arizona; He also traveled to Yuma, Arizona and worked picking lettuce. He bought clothes and sent money to his wife every time he could; Ramos felt very satisfied with his job and the salary he received while he worked as a bracero it helped to …
Interview No. 1454, Antonio Sierra García
Interview No. 1454, Antonio Sierra García
Combined Interviews
Mr. Sierra talks about growing up in an extremely poor indigenous town where hardly anyone spoke Spanish; he initially learned about the bracero program through government announcements; at the time, many were afraid of being taken away to fight in the war; Antonio eventually married, and he and his wife had three children, two girls and one boy; later, in 1954, he enlisted in the bracero program; he suffered greatly while going through the contracting process in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México, because he had to wait for twenty days and only ate occasionally; moreover, he did not pass, and he had …
Interview No. 1448, Isidro De Jesus Perez Ramos
Interview No. 1448, Isidro De Jesus Perez Ramos
Combined Interviews
Isidro Perez lived with his grandparents and completed third grade. He started working when his grandfather died. In 1960, Mr. Perez traveled to Empalme, Sonora to be hired as a bracero but he did not started working until 1962, picking cotton in El Centro, California. He returned to work as a bracero in Anaheim in the orange fields. He renewed his contract for the last time and worked in Stockton picking cucumber and tomatoes. Perez remembered that one time he became ill and his boss took him to the hospital in Anaheim. Perez made a lot of friends while he …
Interview No. 1449, Delfina Perez Reyes
Interview No. 1449, Delfina Perez Reyes
Combined Interviews
Delfina Perez Reyes lived with her parents and his sister in San Ixtlahuaca, Oaxaca, México. Her parents died when she was twelve years old. Miss Perez moved in with her grandparents when her parents died. Delfina was married when she was sixteen years old and moved to live with the parents of her husband. Her husband worked as a bracero in the United States while Mrs. Perez took care of his three sons. Her sons felt very sad because his father was not with them. They found a better life with more opportunities for all her family thanks to the …
Interview No. 1446, Manuel Pacheco Galan
Interview No. 1446, Manuel Pacheco Galan
Combined Interviews
Manuel Pacheco Galan was born in San Pedro Ixtlahuacan, Oaxaca, México. He started working in the field at the age of twelve. Pacheco was married in 1954, and two years later he was hired as a bracero. The first place Pacheco worked in the bracero program was Calexico, California picking and cleaning lettuce. Then, he traveled to San Diego, California to work picking tomatoes. He renewed his contract again and traveled to Oxnard, California and worked picking lemons and tomatoes. Pacheco returned to México, but was hired again and traveled to San Antonio, Texas to pick cotton. Pacheco bought a …
Interview No. 1452, Gustavo Eloy Reyes Rodríguez
Interview No. 1452, Gustavo Eloy Reyes Rodríguez
Combined Interviews
Mr. Reyes talks about his family and what it was like growing up on an ejido; as a teenager he had heard about men coming to work in the United States as braceros and how well it had gone for them; in 1960, he paid the one hundred pesos necessary to get proper documentation to enlist in the bracero program; he traveled by train to Empalme, Sonora, México, where at least five hundred men were processed on a daily basis; as part of the contracting process, he underwent medical exams; upon arriving in Calexico, California, on top of being …
Interview No. 1433, Imelda Díaz Pacheco
Interview No. 1433, Imelda Díaz Pacheco
Combined Interviews
Ms. Díaz briefly describes her family; in 1955, at the age of fifteen, she married Ausencio Medina López; she talks about Ausencio and how during their courtship they did not actually speak to each other; everything took place through their parents; after they married, they went to live with his parents; she stayed at home with her mother-in-law to attend to the household chores, and he worked with his father in the fields; a year later, economic necessity drove Ausencio to enlist in the bracero program at the request of his wife and father; he served in the bracero program …
Interview No. 1444, Delfino Alfredo Muñoz Pacheco
Interview No. 1444, Delfino Alfredo Muñoz Pacheco
Combined Interviews
Mr. Muñoz very briefly discusses his family and childhood; He learned about the bracero program when he was roughly twenty years old, he decided to join the program in order to earn a better wage; He explains that he traveled to Monterrey in order to get enlisted in the program, and obtained the job in Texas Valley picking cotton, later he moved to Arkansas to do the same thing. Mr. Muñoz explains how the working conditions changed because of the different weather in each city, Texas has very high temperatures and Arkansas has a cooler weather, which makes it easier …
Interview No. 1450, Onesimo Santiago Ramos Escobar
Interview No. 1450, Onesimo Santiago Ramos Escobar
Combined Interviews
Onésimo Santiago Ramos Escobar heard about the bracero program when he was twelve years old; Escobar was hired as a bracero in 1958 and traveled to El Valle Imperial. Escobar worked picking lettuce and cotton for one year. Escobar worked until 1959 in el Valle Imperial. He renewed his contract and worked in Stockton, California picking asparagus, potatoes and vegetables. He had a salary of $0.12 cents per sack of onion and $0.03 cents per sack of potato. His bosses treated him well; also the places where they slept and ate were good. He feels very happy because with the …