History Commons^™

Interview No. 1418, Porfirio Z. Rico

Combined Interviews

Porfirio Rico was born in Jéruco Michoacán, México on September 14, 1914. He attended school until the second grade when Porfirio was taken out of school so he could learn to tend to animals and do housework and light field work. When he was about 10 or 11 years old, Porfirio worked with his grandfather, earning $.15 cents an hour. Porfirio worked in various places such as Morelia, Irapuato Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Aguascalientes in México. Porfirio heard about the Bracero Program and decided to give it a try because the work in México was becoming very hard to come by. When …

Interview No. 1409, Erasmo Corral

Combined Interviews

In 1943, Mr. Corral went though the contracting center in Queretaro, México to enlist in the bracero program; he was medically examined before being transferred to the United States by train; as a bracero, he worked on railroads and in cotton fields; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, living conditions, accommodations, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, deductions, remittances, correspondence and recreational activities; his first contract with Western Pacific began in San Francisco, California and ended in Flanigan, Nevada; he started by working on the railroad tracks with a shovel, and he gradually progressed to a foreman’s …

Interview No. 1410, Rafael Cortez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Cortez talks about his family and childhood; he recalls knowing about the lists of workers eligible to enlist in the bracero program and wanting to go, but his father did not approve; when he finally agreed, Rafael traveled, by bus, with other men from his hometown to the processing center in México, Distrito Federal; many had never been in the city and were shocked; he describes the necessary paperwork, waiting for two months and how they used a system of colored coins; from there he was transported by train to the United States; many men left, because they were …

Interview No. 1412, Genaro Garza

Combined Interviews

Mr. Garza briefly talks about his family; some of his uncles lived in the United States, and he longed to do the same; in addition, he knew of other men who had worked with the bracero program and returned with money; he did not see much of a future for himself in México and saw the program as a way to have a better life; to begin the contracting process, he traveled to México, Distrito Federal; he recounts the entire process, including the difficulties he faced, having to wait for two months and the medical exams he endured; after getting …

Interview No. 1420, Eduardo Saldaña

Combined Interviews

Eduardo was born in a town (rancho) called Ojos de Agua, located within the Greater México City urban area, in 1920. From the age of five, Eduardo worked with him father, brothers and uncles sowing and plowing in México. When he was 16, he moved to México City. In 1943 after hearing about the Bracero Program in a national ad, Eduardo took a chance to make more money and have a better opportunity through the program. Eduardo and one of his brothers came to the United States via train and were provided food during their travel, courtesy of their new …

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. 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. 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

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

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. 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. 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

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. 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. 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. 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

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. 1417, Samuel Pérez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Pérez talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; during the midfifties, when he was nineteen years old, he worked delivering Pepsi, and a customer gave him the necessary documents to enlist in the bracero program; he traveled to Irapuato, Guanajuato, México to begin the contracting process, and he describes the requirements and entire process, including medical exams; as a bracero, he worked in the fields, picking, weighing, irrigating and driving a tractor, as well as caring for livestock and other ranch duties; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, …

Interview No. 1721, Wilhemina Apodaca

Combined Interviews

Ms. Apodaca brought to the interview a dress she wore when she was little for a photoshoot she had at the Casasola Studio that was later on featured in the newspaper. Ms. Apodaca remembers the blue dress very well because it was hand-made by her mother and her aunt especially for her. Like most of the clothing back then was made at home.

Ms. Apodaca was raised on a farm in New Mexico along with her other five siblings. She loved living on the farm but used to come to El Paso every weekend to visit her grandmother and do …

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

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. 1587, Armando F. Salinas

Combined Interviews

Mr. Salinas began working in the fields at a young age, he picked strawberries and apricots during the summer, he was paid a dollar an hour and all his earnings were given to his parents except for five dollars; in his early teens he began seeing braceros besides family pickers in the fields; he explains that ten men would rent one room and they slept in cots; he describes their food as burritos and chips; he points out that braceros did the work American workers did not want to do such as ladder work; he explains that exploitation did occur, …

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. 1402, Raúl Hernández

Combined Interviews

Raúl Hernandez was born in Vista Hermosa de Negrete, Michoacán. His parents were field laborers and from a very young age, Raúl was taken out of school and he learned to care for goats. When Raúl was a 17 year old, poor, newlywed, he decided to travel North in search of a job. Prior to entering the Bracero Program, Raúl worked in Tamaulipas and Matamoros picking cotton and corn. After entering the Bracero Program, worked picking cotton and various types of produce in Texas and California. During this time, Raúl experienced discrimination against minorities and in his case, Mexicans working …

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 …