History Commons^™

Interview With Lee Pao Xiong, Mai Neng Vang, Paul Hillmer

Hmong Oral History Project

Born in Long Tieng, Laos in 1966, Lee Pao Xiong lived with his father, who had already been recruited into the Hmong army at age 12. His mother and grandparents lived nearby. After the fall of Long Tieng in May 1975, Xiong and his family spent more than a year in Thai refugee camps before migrating to the United States in 1976. Settling first in Indiana, his family moved to the Twin Cities in 1979. Xiong earned a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. from Hamline University, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. He has …

Ua94/6/1/1 Virginia Robertson Oral History, Virginia Robertson, Jennifer Howard

Student/Alumni Personal Papers

Virginia Aileen Mansfield Robertson, 1940 graduate of Western Kentucky State State Teachers College. In this interview she discusses student life at Western, but this portion has not been transcribed.

Partial transcript of oral history interview with Virginia Robertson, November 16, 2006, by Jennifer Howard.

Adam Darm, Adam Darm, James B. Crooks

Creating a University: UNF Oral History Project

UNF Oral History Project Interview of Adam Darm by James B. Crooks on November 9, 2006

Earle Traynham, Earle Traynham, James B. Crooks

Creating a University: UNF Oral History Project

UNF Oral History Project Interview of Earle Traynham by James B. Crooks on October 27, 2006

Interview No. 1185, Simón Acosta

Combined Interviews

Mr. Acosta remembers how he heard about the bracero program in Sinaloa, México, and how he traveled to Sonora to get contracted; he relates how he had to pick cotton to earn his card for contracting and how the process was conducted in Empalme, Sonora, México; moreover, he states how the processing center at El Centro, California worked, how he was fumigated with a spray, and that he had blood drawn when crossing the border into the United States; he recalls working in California picking beets, oranges and cutting lettuce; furthermore, he goes on to discuss how daily life was …

Interview With Margaret Howell Heath, Margaret Howell Heath

Winthrop University Oral History Program

In her October 12, 2006 interview with Nicole L. Wilson, Margaret Howell Heath explains why she joined the WAVES and shares her experiences being stationed in San Francisco. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.

Interview No. 1053, Alberto Mendoza Torres

Combined Interviews

Mr. Mendoza recalls his childhood in Tizapotla, Morelos, México, and memories of his father, a soldier in Emiliano Zapata’s army during the Mexican Revolution; he remembers the hardships he suffered while working the land his father left him, and the impact bad weather had on his farming; additionally, he details how he worked in factories, and his decision to join the Bracero Program; he enlisted in 1959, and relates the process he went through to get hired in Cuernavaca, Morelos, México, as well as the fumigation performed on him at the United States border; he describes working in Arizona, California, …

Dusty Rhodes, Dusty Rhodes, James B. Crooks

Creating a University: UNF Oral History Project

UNF Oral History Project Interview of Dusty Rhodes by James B. Crooks on September 22, 2006

G. Keith Richey: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 2), Squire L. Brown, G. Keith Richey

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Squire Brown interviewed G. Keith Richey on August 31, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Dr. Richey discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War. This is the second of two interviews with Dr. Richey.

Gary Barlow Interview, Professor Emeritus, Department Of Teacher Education, Wright State University, Lewis Shupe, Gary Barlow

Wright State University Retirees Association Oral History Project

Lewis Shupe interviewed Gary Barlow on August 29, 2006 about the founding of Wright State University and the development of the teacher education program. In the interview Dr. Barlow discusses his career and his decision to come to Wright State as a founding faculty member.

James J. Mattice: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project, Squire L. Brown, James J. Mattice

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Squire Brown interviewed James J. Mattice on August 24, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Mr. Mattice discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War.

G. Keith Richey: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 1), Squire L. Brown, G. Keith Richey

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Squire Brown interviewed G. Keith Richey on August 24, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Dr. Richey discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War. This is the first of two interviews with Dr. Richey.

William F. Bahret: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 1), Squire L. Brown, William F. Bahret

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Squire Brown interviewed William Bahret on August 22, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Mr. Bahret discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War.

Vincent Russo: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project, Squire L. Brown, Vincent J. Russo

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Squire Brown interviewed Vincent Russo on August 16, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Dr. Russo discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War.

Squire Brown: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 2), Christina Douglass, Squire L. Brown

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Christina Douglass interviewed Squire Brown on August 14, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Dr. Brown discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War. This is the second of two interviews with Dr. Brown.

Squire Brown: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 1), Christina Douglass, Squire L. Brown

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Christina Douglass interviewed Squire Brown on August 9, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Dr. Brown discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War. This is the first of two interviews with Dr. Brown.

Interview With Dennis Grace, Paul Hillmer

Hmong Oral History Project

Serving at the time of the interview as Special Assistant to the President for Administrative Reforms in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Mr. Dennis Grace has a long and distinguished career in refugee affairs. After serving in the Air Force from 1965 to 1969, Grace spent four years working in Vientiane, Laos as an English teacher and translator. He later completed his BA at the University of Colorado and an MA in East Asian Regional Affairs at Harvard University. Returning to Bangkok, he spent 15 years in Bangkok as the representative of the International Rescue Committee’s …

Interview With Vint Lawrence, Paul Hillmer

Interviews

Born in New York City to what he describes as “a very privileged childhood…in every possible way,” J. Vinton (“Vint”) Lawrence attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Princeton University. Recruited by the CIA, he was sent to Laos in the very early days of “Operation Momentum,” the campaign to train and arm the Hmong to fight against Communist forces. Arriving in Laos in February 1962, Lawrence was sized up by Bill Lair, worked under Lair’s lieutenant Pat Landry to train some of the first groups of Hmong soldiers, and ultimately became one of only two CIA operatives (along with the infamous …

Interview With Xia Vue Yang, Paul Hillmer

Hmong Oral History Project

Vue Yang was born in Nong Het, Laos, though his family moved to Xieng Khouang province after the defeat of the French in 1954. He began school in 1958 in Long Tieng, but moved to study in Vientiane in 1961. He was later one of a small number of Lao students sent to study in Paris, where he eventually chose to study engineering. After 1973, Yang stayed in France, where he was offered—and turned down—an opportunity to earn a Ph.D. in Chemistry. After working in the United Arab Emirates, he finally came to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where his parents had settled. …

Rydell, Alice And Vandewege, Mary Oral History Interview: General Holland History, Geoffrey Reynolds

General Holland History

No abstract provided.

Otto Peter Morgensen Jr.: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 3), Lynda Kachurek, Otto Peter Morgensen

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Lynda Kachurek interviewed Otto Peter Morgensen Jr. on June 5, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Mr. Morgensen discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War. This is the third of three interviews with Mr. Morgensen. The date is identified as being June 6, 2006 in the video.

Howard R. Dufour: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (Interview 3), James A. Kohler, Howard R. Dufour

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

James Kohler interviewed Howard DuFour on May 31, 2006 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Mr. DuFour discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War. This is the third of three interviews with Mr. DuFour.

Interview No. 1151, Lorenzo González

Combined Interviews

Mr. González recalls writing letters to his mother while he was in the United States; he states there was always a lot of work to be done, which always led to a chance to make money; as a bracero, some of his duties included working with machines that picked lettuce and driving tractors and transportation buses; in addition, while he was in Fresno, California, he was a foreman, and he was responsible for picking up braceros at the processing centers; it was difficult, because oftentimes more men than they needed loaded themselves into the truck in the hope of getting …

Interview No. 1154, Alberto Miguel Marcial

Combined Interviews

Mr. Marcial briefly mentions his family and childhood; his father and grandfather died, leaving his mother alone, but she later remarried; Alberto’s step-father worked as a bracero, and when he returned from a contract, Alberto decided to leave as well; he walked for two days to get a contract in Oaxaca, México; from there he was transported by train to Irapuato, Guanajuato, México, where he stayed for a few days; when leaving Oaxaca, people told him to buy cigarettes if he could, because they were scarce in the United States due to the war; he was able to sell them …

Interview No. 1308, Roberto Oceguera Licea

Combined Interviews

Mr. Oceguera Licea briefly recalls his hometown; he moved to Calexico where he heard about the bracero program; in 1955, he traveled to the processing center in Empalme, Sonora, Mexico; his first contract was in Newman, California where he labored in the melon fields; he briefly discusses and compares the camp size, living conditions and provisions at El Centro, California and Newman, California; he worked in the tomato fields of Imperial Valley, California; he labored in the asparagus fields in Stockton, California; he labored in the grape and pear orchards of Geyserville, California; Mr. Oceguera Licea mentions that many braceros …

Interview No. 1317, Luz María Sosa

Combined Interviews

Mrs. Sosa briefly recalls her family and childhood; she remembers hearing stories about her father working in the United States; she recalls that when her father first heard about the bracero program he rode his horse to the neighboring town to invite and encourage other men to enlist; she briefly details the process, including lists of eligible workers and modes of transportation to and from the center; her father travelled by bus to the processing center in Empalme, Sonora, Mexico; Mrs. Sosa states that many of the men went without eating so as not to lose their place in line; …

Interview No. 1069, Ignacio I. Álvarez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Álvarez briefly talks about his family; one of his uncles worked with the bracero program, which later led him to do the same when he was twenty-five years old; he describes getting on the list of available workers before going to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México, where his hands were examined for signs of manual labor; from there, he was sent by bus to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, where he was given a thorough medical examination; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California, irrigating and picking cotton, cucumbers, lemons, oranges and tomatoes; …

Interview No. 1082, Alejo López

Combined Interviews

Mr. López briefly talks about his family; one of his older brothers enlisted in the bracero program, and in 1954, Alejo also joined; to begin the contracting process, he went through the center in Mexicali, Baja California, México, where he was stripped and examined; moreover, he offers a detailed description of the exams he endured; he later went through the center in Empalme, Sonora, México; from there he was transported by train to Mexicali, where he was deloused like an animal; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, cleaning, pruning and picking asparagus, lettuce, strawberries and tomatoes; …

Interview No. 1084, Roberto Silva M.

Combined Interviews

Mr. Silva talks about his family and childhood, and how they all suffered due to poverty; the lack of rain and crops prompted the family to move from Calvillo, Aguascalientes to Jalpa, Zacatecas, México; they lived on a ranch by a large lake, which greatly improved their situation; during the mid-1950s, when he was eighteen years old, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; in order to join, he had to complete his military service, which he was able to do early by altering the dates on his papers, pay two hundred pesos and pick two thousand kilograms of …

Interview No. 1323, Ramón Bravo García

Combined Interviews

Mr. Ramón Bravo García briefly recalls his childhood; his parents relocated to Baja California, Mexico to work in the agricultural fields; he recalls going through the contracting center of Empalme, Sonora, Mexico; his first contract took him to work in the asparagus fields of Stockton, California; he did not complete the contract; in 1948, he married a childhood acquaintance; shortly thereafter, he obtained his second bracero contract in Pueblo Nuevo, Mexico; he describes the medical exams and required documents; as part of the process, he was stripped and deloused, which he found humiliating; his second contract took him to work …