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Articles 2431 - 2460 of 5519

Full-Text Articles in Oral History

Interview No. 1374, Claro Ruiz Ortíz Jan 2008

Interview No. 1374, Claro Ruiz Ortíz

Combined Interviews

Mr. Ortíz talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; in 1956, he decided to enlist in the bracero program, because there was no work in México; he went through the contracting center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, and he describes the process as very long and sad; thousands of men were waiting, and they were divided into groups, stripped and examined altogether in a large room; he explains that if he had proof he had already worked as a bracero, he was able to pass through more quickly; from there, he was transferred in a cargo …

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Interview No. 1378, Pedro Torres Jan 2008

Interview No. 1378, Pedro Torres

Combined Interviews

Mr. Torres twenty traveled to Chihuahua to get hired in the Bracero Program. Mr. Torres took a train called “El Pollero” in the city of Gomez Palacio and traveled to Chihuahua, Chihuahua. The most difficult part of the journey was in Chihuahua. The conditions of the train were very poorly. Finally they arrived at the recruitment center in Rio Vista, California where they had some medical examinations. Torres traveled without documents just with his Mexican military ID. Torres worked picking cotton in Texas and New Mexico with a salary of $0.05 per pound of cotton. He returned to work as …

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Interview No. 1350, Selerina Landeros Jan 2008

Interview No. 1350, Selerina Landeros

Combined Interviews

Mrs. Landeros briefly mentions her family; she describes meeting and marrying her husband, Dionisio Landeros, in 1937; in addition, she talks about the agrarian reform that led to the land distribution in which her father, brothers and husband obtained land; later, in 1943, Dionisio decided to enlist in the bracero program; he initially signed up for the program in León, Guanajuato, México before traveling to Guanajuato, Guanajuato, México to begin the contracting process; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California picking almonds and oranges until 1945; his first contract took him to Sacramento, California to pick almonds …

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Interview No. 1337, Natividad Cano Jan 2008

Interview No. 1337, Natividad Cano

Combined Interviews

Ms. Cano very vividly describes her family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, and what her childhood was like; her father, Alberto Valenzuela, worked for a rancher in México, and they often came to the United States to sell livestock; the rancher knew people who worked for the bracero program, and he recommended Alberto; in 1943, he traveled by train to Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, to enlist in the program, and he took his ID, birth certificate, and letters of recommendation with him; he worked primarily in southern Arizona with livestock, and he sent money home as often as he could; upon …

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Interview No. 1361, Aristeo Ortega Acuña Jan 2008

Interview No. 1361, Aristeo Ortega Acuña

Combined Interviews

Mr. Ortega briefly talks about his family; in 1957, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; initially, he signed up in Hermosillo, Sonora, México and then traveled to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; he recounts the entire process he underwent, including the requirements to pick cotton, necessary papers, long waiting times and medical examinations; as a bracero, he completed a total of four contracts and labored in Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, picking and loading apricots, lettuce, peaches, tomatoes and other citrus crops; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, …

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Interview No. 1328, José Esequiel Adame Jan 2008

Interview No. 1328, José Esequiel Adame

Combined Interviews

Mr. Adame very briefly describes his family and childhood; he recalls going to Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, with his father and brother, to enlist as braceros; in order to be allowed into the contracting center, they had to pay, and even then they still had to stay there for a week, and sometimes even longer; they also had to spend money just to sleep on the floor of a hotel while they waited for a contract; once called, they were stripped and medically examined; from there they were transported by cargo train to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, and then taken to …

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Interview No. 1335, Lucas Edmundo Benítez Cárdenas Jan 2008

Interview No. 1335, Lucas Edmundo Benítez Cárdenas

Combined Interviews

Mr. Benítez vividly describes his family and childhood; in 1942, he learned about the bracero contracts and started exercising in order to build calluses on his hands, because he knew they would be checked; he details the medical exams he underwent and how he was bathed in a liquid he was unfamiliar with; shortly thereafter, he and other braceros were loaded on buses and taken to different cities throughout the United States; he was taken to Salinas, California, where he labored in the beet and lettuce fields, which he explains was very difficult; in addition, he talks about working for …

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Interview No. 1382, Alberto Valenzuela Gonzalez Jan 2008

Interview No. 1382, Alberto Valenzuela Gonzalez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Valenzuela worked in the field at a young age after his father passed away. He worked in the field planting cotton and corn. During the rainy seasons his uncle would take them milk cows and then produce cheese to sell in the United States. Valenzuela found out about the bracero program through his boss, Francisco Jacquez. His boss offered him a job in Arizona. At the age of twenty-nine, he went to Nogales and was hired in the bracero program. His new boss was Carlos Rosten with whom he worked in the field. Valenzuela worked in the field in …

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Interview No. 1339, Gregorio De La Cruz Jan 2008

Interview No. 1339, Gregorio De La Cruz

Combined Interviews

Mr. de la Cruz briefly discusses his family and childhood; in 1954, the family moved to a place just outside of Empalme, Sonora, México, where he learned about the bracero program; he could not find work in México at the time, and he decided to enlist in the program; to begin the process, he went to Empalme to pick cotton and get a card and his name on the list of available workers; from there, he had to wait to be called, which could happen anywhere from ten days to one month; he describes waiting in line to be fumigated …

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Interview No. 1354, Cuauhtémoc Z. Madrid Jan 2008

Interview No. 1354, Cuauhtémoc Z. Madrid

Combined Interviews

Mr. Madrid talks about his hometown and what his life was like growing up; when he went to the center to enlist, contracts were suspended after ten days, and no one knew why; even so, he and others continued to wait; they held on to the belt loops of the people in front of and behind them so no one would get in line in front of them; while waiting, he climbed a tree, picked dates and gave them to the men that did not have food; when contracts resumed, he could not pass, because his papers were not signed; …

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Interview No. 1343, Pablo C. Flores Jan 2008

Interview No. 1343, Pablo C. Flores

Combined Interviews

Mr. Flores briefly describes his family and the difficulties he faced during childhood and adolescence; in 1948, he went through the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México, in order to enlist in the bracero program; in the hopes of obtaining subsequent contracts he often went through Empalme; there were usually thousands of men in line at the center; he stayed there anywhere from a few days to over a month, which made it extremely difficult to wait, because he did not have any money for food; moreover, there were soldiers at the center to help keep order, and they often …

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Interview No. 1360, Antonio Olivares Samaniego Jan 2008

Interview No. 1360, Antonio Olivares Samaniego

Combined Interviews

Mr. Olivares briefly talks about his family; after they moved to Hermosillo, Sonora, México, he heard about the bracero program; during the early 1950s, he decided to enlist in the program; he recounts the contracting process he underwent; although he was not medically examined in México, his hands and arms were checked to ensure that he was able to work; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, California and Washington, picking and irrigating alfalfa, beets, cotton, pears, peas and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, routines, treatment, …

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Interview No. 1381, Ramón Valencia Jan 2008

Interview No. 1381, Ramón Valencia

Combined Interviews

Mr. Valencia traveled to Empalme, Sonora to begin the hiring process for the Bracero Program carrying his birth certificate and school records. After waiting about twenty days in Empalme, he went to Benjamin Gil in order to take the train to Mexicali. The next step in the process was to travel to El Centro, California. Then in El Centro, California, the authorities conducted medical tests on the applicants. Finally, Mr. Valencia took a bus to Ventura California and started working in a little town named Saticoy. Mr. Valencia worked on the orchards of lemon, orange and strawberry earning salary was …

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Interview No. 1600, Agustin Diaz Roldan Jan 2008

Interview No. 1600, Agustin Diaz Roldan

Combined Interviews

He states that he rotated working in Imperial Valley, Phoenix, Arizona, and Salinas, California from 1954-1960, renewing his contract eighteen months at a time with the same farm company, he picked cotton, lettuce, tomatoes, chilly, asparagus, and strawberries; he also worked as a cook for the farmers, he remembers men were given three meals with lunch being delivered to the fields, they were charged $1.75 a day for all three meals, he would work seven days a week; he recalls in detail the procedure he went through to become a bracero; he used oil and dirt to make his hands …

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Interview No. 1332, Horacio Andrejol Nogales Jan 2008

Interview No. 1332, Horacio Andrejol Nogales

Combined Interviews

Mr. Andrejol briefly describes his family; for a time he worked illegally in California, but his employer helped him become a bracero toward the end of 1958; he then completed an eighteen month contract; although his boss wanted him to drive, as a bracero he was not allowed; he was then sent to Tijuana, Baja California, México, to arrange for legal residency; as a bracero, his primary responsibility was to feed and care for livestock; he initially returned to Empalme, Sonora, México, where he waited for fifteen days while he was sent money by his employer in the states on …

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Interview No. 1346, Francisco Gallardo González Jan 2008

Interview No. 1346, Francisco Gallardo González

Combined Interviews

Mr. Gallardo talks about his family and hometown; in 1954, he came to the United States and worked without proper documentation in Holtville, California; his boss took him to El Centro, California to obtain a contract with the bracero program; he explains what he went through, including medical exams and delousing procedures, before returning to work in Holtville; after his contract ended, he returned to México and went through the contracting process in Empalme, Sonora, México, which was much more difficult, due to the requirements and long waiting times; as a bracero, he labored in the alfalfa fields and orange …

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Interview No. 1341, Eberto Enríquez Jan 2008

Interview No. 1341, Eberto Enríquez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Enríquez describes his family and what it was like growing up in Bacerac, Sonora, México; after learning about the bracero program, he took a bus to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México, in order to enlist; he details the difficulties he encountered while there, as well as the medical exams and other procedures he underwent; from there, he was transported by train to Mexicali, Baja California, and then to El Centro, California; upon entering the United States, he was examined again, stripped naked, and fumigated; before being allowed to dress, he was photographed for his mica card; he …

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Military Hero, Richard Holtzman Jan 2008

Military Hero, Richard Holtzman

History and Social Sciences Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

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Ua37/21 Faculty Personal Papers William Jenkins, Wku Archives Jan 2008

Ua37/21 Faculty Personal Papers William Jenkins, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Documents relating to the life and achievements of William Jenkins. The series contains biographical and professional data.

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Growing Up Separate: An Oral History Of The College Educational And Career Outcomes Of Black Graduates From A Rural, Segregated Public High School From 1954 To 1969, George Ann Newsome Stallings Jan 2008

Growing Up Separate: An Oral History Of The College Educational And Career Outcomes Of Black Graduates From A Rural, Segregated Public High School From 1954 To 1969, George Ann Newsome Stallings

Theses and Dissertations

Using an oral history format, the qualitative study of graduates from Sparkman Training School, an all-Black small, rural school in Sparkman, Arkansas, sought to identify factors evident in this segregated school that enhanced the chances for those graduates in becoming successful in college. The four research questions of the study sought factors in the segregated experience that motivated participants to attend college, helped prepare them for college, contributed to their academic persistence to college graduation, and contributed to a successful collegiate experience. Seven former teachers and 24 of the 35 identified college graduates from 1954 to the school’s closing in …

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Interview No. 1389, Felipe César Chan-Noh Dec 2007

Interview No. 1389, Felipe César Chan-Noh

Combined Interviews

Mr. Chan-noh briefly recalls his childhood and the financial difficulties he and his family endured; he married at the age of seventeen; when he was eighteen years old he enlisted in the Mexican military; he heard about the bracero program while in the military; he went through the hiring process several years later; he recalls the entire process, including that he recruited forty to fifty men from his hometown to join the bracero program; in addition, he mentions going through the processing center in Empalme, Sonora, México; he recalls that one of the requirements for the braceros was to have …

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Interview No. 1390, Antonio Cisneros Piña Dec 2007

Interview No. 1390, Antonio Cisneros Piña

Combined Interviews

Mr. Cisneros speaks of the obstacles he and his family faced working in the fields of México; in 1955, he married, and two years later, he had his first daughter; soon after his wife became very ill, which prompted him to enlist in the bracero program in 1958; he discusses waiting to get on the list of available workers before traveling by train and bus to get to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; in addition, he describes the difficulties he underwent while waiting there, including becoming sick from the heat; the resulting fever kept him from passing the …

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Interview No. 1392, Alma Delia Fraile Barozio Dec 2007

Interview No. 1392, Alma Delia Fraile Barozio

Combined Interviews

Ms. Fraile talks about her family and her life growing up; her grandfather and uncles served in the bracero program, but she was too young to remember any details; by the time she was eighteen years old, she was involved with the Confederación Nacional Campesina (CNC) and their fight for equal land rights for women on ejidos; at the time, she was also studying for a career in social work; in time, she married and had two children; she and her husband were political activists involved in various social causes and cooperative projects; some time later, she began working …

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Interview No. 1584, Ventura Gutierrez Dec 2007

Interview No. 1584, Ventura Gutierrez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Gutiérrez briefly recalls his childhood and the neighborhood he grew up in; he recalls accidently setting his home on fire while playing cowboys and Indians; they lost all of their belongings in the fire and as a result they moved to a Mexican barrio; he discusses the Chicano Movement and organizations such as MEChA, UMAS, the Partido de la Raza Unida, MAPA and the U.F.W.; he briefly discusses his time in the military; in 1972, Mr. Gutiérrez married; Mr. Gutiérrez worked as a teacher’s aid at Coachella Valley High School (1976-77) and obtained his elementary teaching credentials at San …

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Interview No. 1397, Priciliano Suarez Dec 2007

Interview No. 1397, Priciliano Suarez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Suarez talks about is hometown and working in agriculture on his father’s land; he briefly recalls his family and childhood; he remembers hearing stories about his father working in the United States, which made him want to do the same; in 1953 Mr. Suarez married at the age of seventeen; he and his wife had three children; in 1959 he went through the hiring process to become a bracero; as part of the process, he was medically examined, vaccinated, and deloused; in addition he mentions going through the center in Empalme Sonora, Mexico; from there Mr. Suarez was sent …

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Interview No. 1398, J. Jesus Villaseñor Santoyo Dec 2007

Interview No. 1398, J. Jesus Villaseñor Santoyo

Combined Interviews

Mr. Villaseñor talks about his life growing up; during the midforties, his uncle fulfilled several bracero contracts; Jesús saw how well it went for his uncle, and in 1955, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; he describes how he was able to get on the list of eligible workers in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México; from there, he was transported by airplane to Mexicali, Baja California, México, and then to Calexico, California, where ranchers picked the workers they wanted; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California picking various fruits and vegetables; he goes on to …

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Interview No. 1393, Ángel Guzmán Domínguez Dec 2007

Interview No. 1393, Ángel Guzmán Domínguez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Guzmán talks about growing up, including his family and learning how to make shoes; one of his uncles served in the bracero program, which convinced him to do the same; in 1944, he and five of his friends traveled by boat, bus and train before finally arriving at the contacting station in Queretaro, México; with the proper documentation, he was quickly called and passed all the medical exams; he explains that the men in Queretaro went straight to the railroads, while those processed in Guanajuato, México, went to work in the fields; from the contracting center he was transported …

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Interview No. 1396, Jesús Soberano Rodríguez Dec 2007

Interview No. 1396, Jesús Soberano Rodríguez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Soberano talks about helping his father with the livestock at a very young age; in 1959, at the age of nineteen, he went through the hiring process to become a bracero; as part of the process, he was medically examined and deloused; in addition, he talks about the embarrassment he endured during the examination; he traveled to Mexico City, Mexico and then to the processing center in Empalme, Sonora, Mexico; his first contract was in El Centro, California working in the cotton fields; he recalls the working conditions while caring for livestock in El Centro, California; Mr. Soberano recalls …

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James Veghte: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project, Gino J. Pasi, James J. Veghte Dec 2007

James Veghte: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project, Gino J. Pasi, James J. Veghte

Cold War Aerospace Technology Oral Histories (MS-431)

Gino Pasi interviewed James Veghte on December 12, 2007 for the Cold War Aerospace Technologies History Project. In the interview Dr. Veghte discusses his role in the development of military technology during the Cold War.

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Interview No. 1394, Félix Loera Carrillo Dec 2007

Interview No. 1394, Félix Loera Carrillo

Combined Interviews

Mr. Loera briefly describes his family and how they worked on an hacienda, but they did not live there; when he was seventeen years old, he came to the United States to work, without documents, in the hope of having a better life; after two years, he returned to México and shortly thereafter married; by the late fifties, he and his wife had two children and were struggling to make ends meet, which led to his decision to enlist in the bracero program; although most men had to pay to get on the list of available workers, he knew someone …

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