Oral History Commons^™

Interview No. 1479, Robert Navarro

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Robert Navarro was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and attended school in El Paso. After Robert graduated from high school, he attended Texas Western College in El Paso, Texas and graduated in 1961 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He entered the United States Army via the ROTC program for two years. After the Army, Robert attended New Mexico State University and received his Masters in Structural Engineering. During his time as a graduate student, Robert worked for A.B. Peinado and Sons. After graduating, he continued to work for that company. A.B. Peinado and Sons got into land …

Interview No. 1479, Robert Navarro

Combined Interviews

Robert Navarro was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and attended school in El Paso. After Robert graduated from high school, he attended Texas Western College in El Paso, Texas and graduated in 1961 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He entered the United States Army via the ROTC program for two years. After the Army, Robert attended New Mexico State University and received his Masters in Structural Engineering. During his time as a graduate student, Robert worked for A.B. Peinado and Sons. After graduating, he continued to work for that company. A.B. Peinado and Sons got into land …

Interview No. 1478, Robert Wingo

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Robert Wingo was born in Columbus, Ohio but spent the majority of his life in El Paso, Texas. Robert attended elementary and high school in El Paso. After graduating from high school, Robert was drafted into the Vietnam War. After the serving his time in the Vietnam War, Robert attended The University of Texas at El Paso and in 1973 he got his BBA in Marketing. While attending UTEP, Robert worked for BDM Corporation on Fort Bliss. After graduating, Robert started working for Billy the Kid and ended up as the VP of Advertising. In 1983, the company was sold …

Interview No. 1618, Josephine Maceyra

Combined Interviews

Josephine Maceyra in 1958 left a job as a supervisor of surgery in a hospital to take an industrial nurse position at the Farah Company at the insistence of Willie and James Farah; Mrs. Maceyra initially worked at 3rd street location; she eventually was placed in charge of all clinics in each factory and the hospital for the company; she explains that medical care was provided free of charge for all employees; she recalls the personalities of Willie and James Farah; Mrs. Maceyra mentions James having a very friendly personality, recounts the time he had a heart attack at work …

Interview No. 1478, Robert Wingo

Combined Interviews

Robert Wingo was born in Columbus, Ohio but spent the majority of his life in El Paso, Texas. Robert attended elementary and high school in El Paso. After graduating from high school, Robert was drafted into the Vietnam War. After the serving his time in the Vietnam War, Robert attended The University of Texas at El Paso and in 1973 he got his BBA in Marketing. While attending UTEP, Robert worked for BDM Corporation on Fort Bliss. After graduating, Robert started working for Billy the Kid and ended up as the VP of Advertising. In 1983, the company was sold …

Die Geschichte Meiner Familie, Rachel Marie Rose

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This capstone explores the history of Nazi Germany and how its policies affected a culturally Deaf German family, the Riemanns. The final product included a documentary film.

Stolz, Barbara, Fcrh Honors Program

FCRH Honors Program Oral History Project

Dr. Barbara Stolz, a political science student from the Fordham honors class of 1969, has taught public management, criminology, and policy analysis at the McCourt School of Public Policy within Georgetown University since 2014. She obtained her Ph.D. from Brandeis University in 1975, studying political science with a focus on criminal justice. Prior to working at Georgetown, she held positions at Harvard Law School, American University, the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control, Yaroslavl State University, and the U.S. Government Accountability Office. She has been recognized for her work in criminal justice by the Academy …

Interview No. 1640, Thomas Edward Dent, Mary Helen Dent Trammell

Combined Interviews

He describes the schools growing up, and how they were all named after famous Texans, such as Davey Crocket and James Bowie. Mrs. Trammell describes how her mother was forced to work because of her father’s age and failing health. Her father had asthma and eventually suffered a stroke. The family lived in a rural area, where they kept chickens, cows, and other animals. Mr. Dent describes the fear that existed when WWII broke out, as he was still in elementary school. Both siblings describe the process of making phone calls at this time, and dealing with operators. There were …

Interview No. 1438, Sebastián Ruíz Ávila

Combined Interviews

Sebastian Ruíz Ávila lived there up until his late teens. He worked as baker helper in Matamores until he learned about the braceros. He worked at Lamesa, Texas. He was able to help his family back in México by working in the cotton fields everyday. His payment was based on the amount of cotton he would pick up. He worked 6 years as a bracero for the same person. Mr. Ruíz didn’t know English during his time working as a bracero. After having a family in Mexico, Mr. Ruíz stayed there working as a brick-maker. Then, he became a politician, …

Interview No. 1474, Jesus J. Ibarra Huerta

Combined Interviews

Mr. Ibarra worked as a farmer since he was young. He traveled to Monterrey, Mexico to get hired as a bracero and then to El Paso del Aguila, Texas. Ibarra worked for the first time picking cotton in Laredo, Texas. He renewed his contract three consecutive times and worked in Bryan, Mission, McAllen and Mandy Texas. Ibarra worked in six different cities around Texas in 1957 and 1958. He renewed his contract and worked for eight months picking beetroot in Bay City, Michigan. He worked as a bracero for the last time in 1964. He got his American residency thanks …

Interview No. 1472, Maria Arreola Galvan

Combined Interviews

No abstract provided.

Interview No. 1473, Octaviano Galvan

Combined Interviews

No abstract provided.

Interview No. 1505, Nan Napier

Combined Interviews

Tres Mariposas was started by three women in El Paso, Texas and after a time, only one of the women owned the dress shop. This woman, Betty Bowman (Young) sold the business to her husband, Sam Young Jr. Sam was a client of Frank Napier and he then sold Tres Mariposas to Frank Napier. Frank Napier’s wife, Isabel Napier ran the store for a while until they presented their son, Charles and his wife Nan with the opportunity to run the store. Nan ran the store by herself until her two children were born and then her husband joined her. …

Interview With George Schmidt, Melena Grace Nicholson

Chicago Anti-Apartheid Movement

Length: 154 minutes

Oral history interview of George Schmidt by Melena Grace Nicholson

Chicago Public School teacher and union activist, George Schmidt discusses his work as editor of Substance a newspaper covering public education that he helped found in 1975. His activism was sparked during his college years and he recounts his work during his teaching career. He was involved in the G.I. movement and military counseling, working with ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), and people in Angola and Mozambique, before becoming a teacher. His interest in military counseling and the G.I. movement stems from his own parents’ experience during …

Interview With Clarice Durham, Lauren Ashley Alexander

Chicago Anti-Apartheid Movement

Length: 95 minutes

Oral history interview of Clarice Durham by Lauren Ashley Alexander

Clarice Durham recalls her childhood and recounts her work with the Illinois NAACP, The National Anti-Imperialist Movement in Solidarity with African Liberation (NAIMSAL), and as co-chair of the National Alliance Against Racial and Political Oppression. She campaigned for justice in the Scottsboro Boys case in 1931, attended the founding convention of the Progressive Party in 1948, and participated in the March on Washington in 1963. As Durham recaps her trip to South Africa, she recalls the change it had on her and her views of the movement. …

Interview No. 1505, Nan Napier

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Tres Mariposas was started by three women in El Paso, Texas and after a time, only one of the women owned the dress shop. This woman, Betty Bowman (Young) sold the business to her husband, Sam Young Jr. Sam was a client of Frank Napier and he then sold Tres Mariposas to Frank Napier. Frank Napier’s wife, Isabel Napier ran the store for a while until they presented their son, Charles and his wife Nan with the opportunity to run the store. Nan ran the store by herself until her two children were born and then her husband joined her. …

Interview No. 1471, José Tello

Combined Interviews

Mr. Tello briefly recalls his childhood and how it was growing up in the ranch he lived in; while working in the ranch he heard about the Bracero Program and traveled to the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, where the processing center was; he explains that the process was fairly easy for him and that there weren’t many requirements or medical examinations; he recalls crossing the border at Laredo, Texas; as a bracero he completed several contracts picking cotton and radish in the states of Texas, California, and Arkansas; he briefly describes the living and working conditions at the …

Interview No. 1466, Antonio Garcia Delgado

Combined Interviews

Antonio Garcia Delgado worked picking pumpkins since he was a child. He traveled to Monterey, Mexico with his father and both were hired to work as braceros. Garcia worked picking cotton in Santa Rosa, Texas. He renewed his contract and worked in Mumford, Texas. Garcia never knew how much money he earned during that time because his father collected his checks. Garcia collected around two hundred and twenty pounds of cotton per day. Garcia traveled with his wife to San Antonio, Texas and worked without documents He feels proud because he became an American Citizen.

Interview No. 1468, Rafael Gonzalez M.

Combined Interviews

Mr. González talks about his childhood and growing up working in the mines since a young age; in 1950 he moves to the city of Nava in México, close to the border, where he finds out about the Bracero Program; he enlists and goes through the hiring process; furthermore, he mentions the hiring center, the requisites, and the medical examinations they went through; upon crossing he worked in the cotton fields, as well as in chard, lettuce, and beet root fields, in different ranches of the state of Texas; besides of the working conditions, he describes the living conditions, the …

Interview No. 1465, Asención Flores

Combined Interviews

Asención Flores Saldaña started working when he was ten years old. He heard about the Bracero Program when he was in Jalisco. Flores was hired as a bracero in Empalme, Sonora. In 1926, he worked as a bracero for three months in California. In 1929, he was hired again as a bracero and worked picking cotton in Pecos. Flores only worked three days in Pecos because the weather was very bad. Flores renewed his contract and worked in Soledad picking tomatoes. He worked six days per week and sometimes all week. The salary was $12.00 per day, but he paid …