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- University of Texas at El Paso. Institute of Oral History—interviews. (873)
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Articles 121 - 150 of 1759
Full-Text Articles in History
Interview No. 1612, Frank Ratti
Interview No. 1612, Frank Ratti
Combined Interviews
Frank Ratti, born in New Jersey on November 1942, worked for Farah from 1968 to 2008. After his career in United States Air Force, Ratti became a salesman selling shirts, headscarves, and other head ware for an apparel company in North Dakota. In 1968, a friend and a Farah employee asked Ratti if he would be interested in working for Farah, and he began working as a Salesman in that same year. Through out his career at Farah, Ratti’s job positions changed periodically from Salesman to Regional Manager, and he mainly worked in the Upper Midwestern region, which included Iowa, …
Interview No. 1613, Haleen F. Zweifel
Interview No. 1613, Haleen F. Zweifel
Combined Interviews
Haleen F. Zweifel was born in El Paso, Texas in 1955 to Willy and Betty Farah, who owned and ran Farah Manufacturing Company. As a little girl, she went to Mesita Elementary, she graduated from Coronado High School. Zweifel’s high school summer breaks were spent working for Farah during the night shift. During her employment at Farah, she had heard that some of the union supporters starting setting workers’ cars on fire and witnessed union supporters throwing dead chickens at workers as they walked out of work. As the strike became violent, her father constantly worried for her safety. Union …
Interview No. 1604, William W. Compton, Ginny Compton
Interview No. 1604, William W. Compton, Ginny Compton
Combined Interviews
William “Bill” W. Compton was a Marketing and Sales Manager for Farah in El Paso, TX; He was born in Boise, ID in 1943; English and Cherokee ancestry; fourth of five children; His father was an abusive alcoholic and died when he was young; he served briefly in the U.S. Marine Corps; His first wife died of a blood clot; He describes interaction with Mormon missionaries and his conversion; He recalls learning sales and marketing skills at General Motors school, details later decision to leave car sales; he explains how he got into the clothing industry after he applied for …
Interview No. 1606, Joe Chemali Jr.
Interview No. 1606, Joe Chemali Jr.
Combined Interviews
Joe Chemali Jr. was born in Colorado City, TX on August 30, 1926; grandfather was Andrew Farah, brother of Farah Company founder Mansour Farah; family was of Lebanese ancestry, described as patriotic Americans; He grew up in Marfa, TX; Mr. Chemali was in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Mr. Chemali describes his first work as a foreman at a cotton warehouse in Alpine, TX; He recalls making deliveries to El Paso and how this eventually resulted him working for Willie Farah in 1950; He explains decision to work for Farah, company was rapidly expanding; states Farah had all …
Interview No. 1610, Rod Champney
Interview No. 1610, Rod Champney
Combined Interviews
Rod Champney worked for Farah for about 10 years as a pilot and an engineer. His father had established himself in El Paso, Texas during World War II and his mother was born in El Paso. Champney, born in 1946, graduated from Burgess High School and then The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a degree in physics. It was while he attended UTEP when he accepted a position at Farah to fly one of two Lear jets owned by the company in 1968. As a pilot, Champney recalled a close relationship to Willy Farah because he was …
Interview No. 1607, Joe Gomez
Interview No. 1607, Joe Gomez
Combined Interviews
Joe Gomez was born in Cayay, Puerto Rico on September 20, 1947; his father was in the military, his mother was a housewife; he has four brothers and sisters; he came to El Paso and could not speak English, told that he had to learn English or he would be dropped from school; later moved to Germany for three years, he came back to graduate from Burges High School and went to UTEP. Mr. Gomez recalls that he got a job at Firestone Tires to support his family, explains difficulty in finding a good job at the time; explains he …
Interview No. 1605, Emma Acosta
Interview No. 1605, Emma Acosta
Combined Interviews
Emma Acosta born in El Paso, Texas in 1953 was employed at Farah for the summer program in 1969 and 1970. Acosta’s limited family income was the main reason why she sought a job while she attended El Paso High School. Acosta would use half her wages to help support the family and the other half as extra spending money. Her job duties working for Farah originally were to sew a few stitches on children’s pants. Acosta became bored with the receptiveness of the work. Her supervisor noticed a decline in the quality of her work, and she was assigned …
Interview No. 1479, Robert Navarro
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. 1618, Josephine Maceyra
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
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 …
Interview No. 1640, Thomas Edward Dent, Mary Helen Dent Trammell
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
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
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
Interview No. 1473, Octaviano Galvan
Interview No. 1505, Nan Napier
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 No. 1471, José Tello
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
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.
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
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 …
Interview No. 1469, Jose Mata Alvarez
Interview No. 1469, Jose Mata Alvarez
Combined Interviews
Jose Mata Alvarez started working at a very young age. He traveled to Tamaulipas, Mexico to get hired as a bracero for the first time. In 1960 he worked in Texas and in 1961 he moved to California. Mata worked picking beetroot and cleaning beans. He renewed his contract and worked for the last time as a bracero in 1964 in Denver, Colorado. He also worked picking grapes and lemon. Sometime, he worked six days a week and more than eight hours per day. The salary was based on the quantity not on the hours worked per day. He was …
Interview No. 1470, Cipriano Romero
Interview No. 1470, Cipriano Romero
Combined Interviews
Cipriano Romero worked picking cotton since he was ten years old. He traveled to Monterrey, Nuevo León, México to get hired in the bracero program. In 1956, Romero started working picking cotton in Helena, Arkansas. He renewed his contract and worked in Stockton, California. Romero had his first child at 22 years old in Arkansas. The salary was between $1.55 and $2.550 per hundred pounds of cotton. He worked as many hours as he could five days a week. Romero never had problems with the food or the housing provided in the different places where he worked. Romero remembered that …
Interview No. 1467, Ramón Gil
Interview No. 1467, Ramón Gil
Combined Interviews
Ramón Gil worked as a bracero at Salt Pacific in Sacramento, California. Gil organized the material for the railroad for six months, then he moved to Tampico, Mexico. In Tamaulipas, he worked in the Mexican oil business and later he moved to Buffalo, New York, where he got married and started a family. As a bracero, he was paid every 15 days; his wage was $8.16 per hour. Gil had only one bad experience as a bracero, they were supposed to have a savings account at Wells Fargo, but he has never seen a penny of that money.
Interview No. 1462, Fabian Landaverde S.
Interview No. 1462, Fabian Landaverde S.
Combined Interviews
Mr. Landaverde briefly remembers his childhood talking about his hometown, and about playing and working in the lands along with his father; before he was a bracero, he entered the United States in 1951 to work in the railroad tracks in Colorado; in 1955, Mr. Landaverde, who was already married, went through the hiring process to become a bracero; he recalls going through the centers in Monterrey and El Paso, Texas; in addition, he explains that, because of his little knowledge in English, he helped as a translator in one of the centers; he also describes the hiring process where …
Interview No. 1461, Marcelino Gonzalez D.
Interview No. 1461, Marcelino Gonzalez D.
Combined Interviews
Mr. Gonzalez talks about his hometown and how, despite the economic difficulties, he enjoyed his childhood; he describes his schooling and that when he was studying he wanted to come to the united States to work; around the year of 1954, Mr. Gonzalez went through the hiring process to become a bracero; he mentions going through the hiring center of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; he describes the embarrassment of going through physical medical exams, where they were stripped and examined; as a bracero, Mr. Gonzalez remembers mainly working in the cotton, onion, and lettuce fields of El Paso, Plainview and …
Interview No. 1463, Juventino Muñoz P.
Interview No. 1463, Juventino Muñoz P.
Combined Interviews
Mr. Muñoz briefly recalls his family and childhood; he remembers his family living under good conditions having lands and animals; when he was around 12 years old his family lost everything and he had to quit school in order to work in the fields; he served in the Mexican military until he became a bracero in June of 1963; Mr. Muñoz recalls the entire process, including going through centers in Piedras Negras and Mexicali; in addition, he mentions going through medical examinations; as a bracero he worked in the cucumber fields in Michigan and then he worked on the lemon …
Interview No. 1460, Ramon García
Interview No. 1460, Ramon García
Combined Interviews
Mr. García mentions his childhood and how difficult it was when his parents separated; he and his siblings had to work to support their family when they were only children; he crossed illegally at the age of fifteen to work in the U.S.; when he was eighteen he decided to enlist in the bracero program and went to the contracting center in Monterrey, Nuevo León; he remembers the entire process, including the waiting times, the amount of people, and the harsh conditions; he recalls the medical exams he went through; after being hired he was sent to Arkansas to the …
Interview No. 1459, Jesus T. Castilleda
Interview No. 1459, Jesus T. Castilleda
Combined Interviews
Mr. Castilleda briefly recalls his childhood and working in agriculture with his family; he crossed the border to work illegally in the cotton fields with his father when he was ten or twelve years old; he remembers that his uncles came as braceros and as soon as he turned eighteen he enlisted in the city of Monterrey; after enlisting, he went through contracting centers in Piedras Negras and Hidalgo, Texas; he remembers the medical exams they were put through; he worked in places like La Mesa and Big Springs, Texas, as well as in Tennessee and Arkansas, mainly on cotton …
Interview No. 1630, James L. Hayden
Interview No. 1630, James L. Hayden
Combined Interviews
As a career soldier, Hayden spent the better part of his life in the Army; in this interview he recalls his experiences as a fourth-generation West Point graduate, his service both in the Army Constabulary in immediate post-World War II Germany and in Korea during the Korean War, his responsibilities at White Sands Missile Range under Wernher von Braun, and his recent volunteer work as a West Point admissions advisor. Born in 1923 in New York, Hayden was expected from birth to attend West Point; indeed, his father was an instructor there at the time. Although he applied in 1940, …
Interview No. 1477, Adam Nieto
Interview No. 1477, Adam Nieto
Combined Interviews
From the age of 12 until he was 15 years old, Adam Nieto worked a paper route to earn extra money for his family. After high school, Adam left El Paso for Los Angeles for two years to work, however in 1965, the draft system caught up with Adam and at the age of 21, he was drafted by the United States Army into the Vietnam War. In 1967, after his time in the military, Adam enrolled at The University of Texas at El Paso and spent four years working on his B.A. in Education. Adam was able to use …