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Articles 2611 - 2640 of 5520

Full-Text Articles in Oral History

Interview No. 1225, Esteban Gutierrez S. May 2006

Interview No. 1225, Esteban Gutierrez S.

Combined Interviews

Mr. Gutierrez talks about coming to work in the United States without proper documentation during the mid-1950s; he was caught by immigration officials and taken to Mexicali, Baja California, México; the next day, he returned to the United States with a specialized bracero contract; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, planting, cleaning, pruning, watering and picking various crops; he goes on to detail housing, amenities, accommodations, duties, treatment, payments, remittances and recreational activities, including trips into town; he gives a detailed explanation of his responsibilities as a palmero, which included caring for, cleaning and picking dates; …

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Interview No. 1230, Jose R. Montañez May 2006

Interview No. 1230, Jose R. Montañez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Montañez talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; when he was seventeen years old, he went to Guadalajara, Jalisco, México to complete his military service, during which time his mother passed away; while there, he decided to enlist in the bracero program and went through the center in Guadalajara; he describes the necessary paperwork and medical exams, which were much more detailed in the United States; from there he was transported in a cargo train to Mexicali, Baja California, México; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California as a palmero and …

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Interview No. 1236, Juan Padilla May 2006

Interview No. 1236, Juan Padilla

Combined Interviews

Mr. Padilla talks about the difficulties he faced growing up in México; in 1956, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; he explains that he went through contracting centers in Mexicali, Baja California, Empalme, Sonora and Irapuato, Guanajuato, México; while at the centers he suffered greatly, because he had to wait for up to a month, there was nowhere to sleep and not very much to eat; as part of the process, he was stripped, medically examined and fumigated; many men fainted by the time blood samples were taken, because they were so weak from the trip and had …

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Interview No. 1232, Mateo Murillo Lamas May 2006

Interview No. 1232, Mateo Murillo Lamas

Combined Interviews

Mr. Murillo vividly recalls being in México, Distrito Federal, in 1942, when he was taken at gunpoint by Mexican officials and loaded into a train; there were roughly one thousand men aboard, and by the time they reached California, there were only two hundred men, at most, because so many had jumped off the train; as he was about to be transported to his worksite, American officials asked if he would be willing to take arms and help the United States should the need arise; he agreed and signed a paper that put him on a reserve list, but he …

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Interview No. 1245, Martha Gutiérrez May 2006

Interview No. 1245, Martha Gutiérrez

Combined Interviews

Ms. Gutiérrez briefly talks about her family; when she was eight years old, her father enlisted in the bracero program; while he was gone, his youngest son was born and was six months old by the time he returned to México; not long after, her mother left with her father to work in the United States; Martha and her siblings were left with their grandparents, but they were severely mistreated; her grandparents often went out of town and left the children alone without any food; Martha especially struggled to care for and feed her six month old little brother; during …

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Interview No. 1250, Virginia Solorzano Sanchez May 2006

Interview No. 1250, Virginia Solorzano Sanchez

Combined Interviews

Ms. Solorzano briefly talks about her family and hometown; her father decided to enlist in the bracero program in order to make enough money to support the family; while he was gone, her family lived with her relatives on her father’s side and later with her mother’s family; when she was roughly eight years old, her mother left with her father to work in the United States; they regularly sent money for food, clothes and school, and they visited every year or two; Virginia also remembers being jealous whenever she saw other children with their parents; she regretted that they …

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Interview No. 1253, Arturo Vargas Rios May 2006

Interview No. 1253, Arturo Vargas Rios

Combined Interviews

Mr. Vargas talks about what his life was like growing up in México; he remembers that the bracero program was greatly publicized in his hometown of Rodeo, Durango, México; in order to enlist, he traveled to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México by cargo train; he waited for fifteen days with several thousand other men for their names to be called; they were often solicited by people from town to help pick cantaloupe and watermelon, but if they left, they risked losing their place in line and their chance at a contract; from there, he took another train to …

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Interview No. 1255, Estela V. Cervantes May 2006

Interview No. 1255, Estela V. Cervantes

Combined Interviews

Ms. Cervantes talks about her family and what her life was like growing up in México; she describes meeting her husband, Jesús; he was born in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México and raised in the small nearby town of Copalillo; his parents were campesinos, and he and his three brothers also worked in the fields; in 1941, Estela and Jesús were married; two years later, in 1943, he left to Mexico, Distrito Federal without telling anyone; Estela later learned that he left in order to enlist in the bracero program; he had heard about the program through his friends and went …

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Interview No. 1307, Gregorio Nuñez May 2006

Interview No. 1307, Gregorio Nuñez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Nuñez briefly talks about his family; he and a friend traveled by train from Guadalajara, Mexico to Benjamin Hill, Sonora, Mexico; from there he traveled to Mexicali, Mexico and then to Calexico, California to look for his brother; his brother was no longer living at the address; he stayed on with the young woman who lived at the address and she introduced him to a foreman that worked for Spruce Farms; initially, Mr. Nuñez was an undocumented worker; in 1946, he heard about the bracero program and decided to join; Mr. Nuñez met his wife in Brawley, California and …

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Interview No. 1228, Leocadio Marquez May 2006

Interview No. 1228, Leocadio Marquez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Marquez talks about his family and childhood; he recounts several stories about his life in México; in 1957, he married, and he and his wife had three children soon after; two years later, in 1959, he enlisted in the bracero program and went though the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; he describes the process he endured, including medical exams and generally being treated worse than an animal in México and the United States; as a bracero, he worked in the fields of California with several different crops, and he completed two eight month contracts; he goes on to …

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Interview No. 1186, Raul Cardenas M. May 2006

Interview No. 1186, Raul Cardenas M.

Combined Interviews

Mr. Cardenas briefly recalls his childhood and having to move to México City, México, to start working; when he was seventeen years of age he heard about a call for braceros; he decided to leave his job for the chance to work in the United States; he traveled to the processing center in Calexico, México; he details the harsh conditions he and other men endured while waiting there; in addition, he talks about how painful the physical exams were and how rudely they were conducted; his first contract took him to work in the tomato fields of Yolo, California; he …

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Interview No. 1194, Asterio L. León May 2006

Interview No. 1194, Asterio L. León

Combined Interviews

Mr. León remembers growing up in Palmar de Sepúlvedas, Sinaloa, México; he discusses how he started working in agriculture at an early age, and how he was able to get formal school until the third grade; furthermore, he recalls how he heard about the bracero program, how he got his first contract after being an undocumented worker in Blythe, California, and how his boss there helped him acquire the contract; he explains how contracting occurred in Empalme, Sonora, México, how potential braceros waited sometimes for months to get contracted, and how he paid coyotes to get on the list for …

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Interview No. 1198, Jose B. Sanchez May 2006

Interview No. 1198, Jose B. Sanchez

Combined Interviews

Mr. Sanchez remembers growing up in San Miguel Epeja, Michoacán, México, and leaving home when he was thirteen years old because his father was very rough; he recalls working in agriculture throughout México; in 1953, he recounts how he was contracted in Gómez Palacio, Durango, México, the process he went through, and his trip to the border; furthermore, he describes crossing into the United States, and the medical exams he endured; he worked in Arizona and California picking cotton, lettuce, and melons; his last year as a bracero was in 1963; moreover, he states what the housing they received was …

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Interview No. 1189, Ramon Flores Gonzales May 2006

Interview No. 1189, Ramon Flores Gonzales

Combined Interviews

Mr. Flores Gonzales remembers growing up in Juquillo, Jalisco, México, and having to work from the age of five; he recalls hearing about the bracero program from his brother who worked in Blythe, California; in 1956, he joined the bracero program and worked in California until 1960 picking carrots, cotton, and watermelon; he relates what it was like to be contracted in Empalme, Sonora, México, the process they went through, the papers he needed, and the brief medical exams they received; furthermore, he describes his bus ride to Mexicali, Baja California, México, and how the contracts were created in El …

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Interview No. 1190, Felipe Flores May 2006

Interview No. 1190, Felipe Flores

Combined Interviews

Mr. Flores remembers his childhood in Guanajuato, México, and his home life; he recounts that his father was a bracero before he was born, and that he only saw him about once a year; schooled up to sixth grade in México, he completed a college degree in the United States; he recalls working in the fields from age six, and the hardships they endured by not having their father around; moreover, he states that his father sent them money and cards while working in the United States; he discusses how his father moved the family to Mexicali, how then they …

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Interview No. 1191, Jesus Flores May 2006

Interview No. 1191, Jesus Flores

Combined Interviews

Mr. Flores remembers his childhood in Jalisco, México, and working in agriculture with his parents; he states that he did not go to school and that he worked in his parents’ ranch until he was twenty-two years old; furthermore, he recalls getting his first bracero contract in 1951; he describes what the contract lengths were like, how he renewed his contract every six months, and how he was able to remain a bracero after eighteen months by crossing into México and then signing up for it again; additionally, he explains the contracting process and having to pick cotton for twenty …

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Interview No. 1188, Cirilo Diaz May 2006

Interview No. 1188, Cirilo Diaz

Combined Interviews

Mr. Diaz remembers his childhood and cutting radishes and cilantro; he joined the bracero program in 1953, and from 1956 to 1960; he worked in Arizona picking cotton, lettuce, and watermelon; during 1953, he joined a group of braceros that held a strike due to bad food; he describes how the Mexican consulate representative sided with the farmer and how the group was moved to a different field and sent to México; in 1956, he was contracted in Empalme, Sonora, México; he expresses the conditions men suffered while waiting for contracts, how they were contracted, and their trip to the …

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Interview No. 1197, Francisco Murrillo Almaraz May 2006

Interview No. 1197, Francisco Murrillo Almaraz

Combined Interviews

Mr. Murrillo Almaraz remembers growing up in Tabasco, Zacatecas, México and working from an early age in agriculture; he states that he never had formal schooling; in 1942, he explains that he was contracted as a bracero in Mexico City, México; he details that many people, in 1942, did not want to join the bracero program because they were worried that they might be sent to the war; moreover, he worked in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington; there he picked apples, beets, lemons, oranges, and peaches and also cut lettuce; he recalls the contracting process, his trip to …

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Interview No. 1192, Fernando Games García May 2006

Interview No. 1192, Fernando Games García

Combined Interviews

Mr. Games García remembers growing up in Hierbabuena, Michoacán, México, and going to school up to the fifth grade; he states that his father joined the bracero program in 1943, and worked as a bracero on and off until 1964; furthermore, he recounts his father’s memories of the process of becoming a bracero, his contracting, the treatment they received while crossing into the United States, how braceros were fumigated, and the treatment they received from foremen; he describes what life was like while his father was gone, the hardships his mother went through, and how he missed and worried for …

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Interview No. 1199, Amadeo Tapia Q May 2006

Interview No. 1199, Amadeo Tapia Q

Combined Interviews

Mr. Tapia remembers growing up in Sahuaripa, Sonora, México, and his father’s work as a civil judge; he went to school until the fifth grade; in 1958, he joined the bracero program and worked in Arizona and California picking beets, cotton, lemons, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes, until 1962; he recounts how he joined the program in 1958 and 1959 through a government list, and how for the next two contracts he had to pick cotton to acquire them; he describes what the contracting process was like in Empalme, Sonora, México, the medical exams they got, and the embarrassment of having …

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Interview No. 1193, Pedro García May 2006

Interview No. 1193, Pedro García

Combined Interviews

Mr. García remembers growing up in Cederal, San Luis Potosí, México, and what his life was like as a child; he recalls wanting to leave home in 1944 and traveling to Texas to work picking carrots and cotton; furthermore, he recounts working as an undocumented worker in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas; he states that he traveled to Blythe, California and that he couldn’t find work because all the jobs were filled by braceros; he describes trying to become a bracero, but being harassed and forced to leave while waiting in line; moreover, he expresses that braceros received better …

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Interview No. 1200, Salvador Beltran Torres May 2006

Interview No. 1200, Salvador Beltran Torres

Combined Interviews

Mr. Beltran Torres remembers growing up in Cosalá, Sinaloa, México, and working from an early age with his father in agriculture; he recalls how he heard about the bracero program, and what the contracting process was like in Empalme, Sonora, México; in 1956, he joined the bracero program, and then returned to it in 1958, because his father was killed; he worked in Arizona and California picking cotton, spreading seed, and watering until 1962; furthermore, he describes what life on the farm was like, the work he did, and the pay he received; he explains what his living arrangements were …

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Interview No. 1195, Rodolfo J. López May 2006

Interview No. 1195, Rodolfo J. López

Combined Interviews

Mr. López remembers his childhood growing up in Angamacutiro, Michoacán, México; he completed five years of formal schooling, and worked in agriculture at an early age; furthermore, after completing his military service, he joined the bracero program in 1957; he worked in California picking cotton and driving tractors; he describes the contracting process in Empalme, Sonora, México, the trip to the border he endured in a freight train, and the fumigation and medical exams he went through at El Centro, California, México; moreover, he recounts the names of different farms in Blythe, California, as well as how his life there …

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Interview No. 1196, Jose S. Magana May 2006

Interview No. 1196, Jose S. Magana

Combined Interviews

Mr. Magana remembers growing up in Hierbabuena, Michoacán, México; he is oldest sibling in his family, and remembers how hard it was to grow up poor in a ranch in México; he recalls that his father was a bracero from 1956 to 1960, and worked in California cutting lettuce; furthermore, he recounts the memories his father shared with him about the bracero program; he highlights the hardships his father endured, and how his father refused to work in United States again after returning to México, because of the bad treatment he received; moreover; he describes how his father arranged for …

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Interview No. 1201, Severiano G. Villarreal May 2006

Interview No. 1201, Severiano G. Villarreal

Combined Interviews

Mr. Villarreal remembers growing up in Saguaripa, Sonora, México; he states that his father worked in agriculture, and after his death, he had to find work in the U.S.; he recounts that he worked in Yuma, Arizona planting and growing trees as an undocumented worker from 1951 to 1954; in 1954, his boss helped him become a bracero, and he worked for him until 1961; moreover, he recalls that he did not go to contracting centers in México, because he was contracted as a special bracero in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, México through the La Asociación, a group in …

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Interview No. 1187, Luis C. Marín May 2006

Interview No. 1187, Luis C. Marín

Combined Interviews

Mr. Marín states that he was contracted in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, and he entered the United States through El Paso, Texas: he recalls the process he went through in El Paso, and how he was medically examined; additionally, he remembers that most braceros did not want to work in Texas due to the harsh treatment they received; he describes being at Rio Vista processing center; moreover, he recounts that he worked as a bracero until 1955 with only one farmer in New Mexico; he relates what his family life was like as a bracero, and how his children were born …

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Interview With Fay Chia Lee, Paul Hillmer May 2006

Interview With Fay Chia Lee, Paul Hillmer

Hmong Oral History Project

Fay Chia Lee was born in Thay Thao, Laos and enlisted in General Vang Pao’s army at a young age. (It is often the case that Hmong people born in Laos do not know their actual birthdays Mr. Lee said he was 63 in 2003 and joined Vang Pao’s army at age 14, which would have been c. 1957. Vang Pao did not start recruiting an army until 1961.) Mr. Lee describes many battles in which he participated, especially the siege of Na Khang in 1967. He also discusses battle tactics, military equipment, interactions with pilots and aircraft, and his …

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Interview No. 1231, Cipriano Moreno May 2006

Interview No. 1231, Cipriano Moreno

Combined Interviews

Mr. Moreno briefly speaks about his family; in 1960, when he was twenty-three years old, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; he signed up in his hometown of Irapuato, Guanajuato, but he was sent to Empalme, Sonora; he was assigned a number based on his home state, and once he was called, he was transferred to Mexicali, Baja California, México, and then to El Centro, California; while there, he was stripped, medically examined and deloused; as a bracero, he completed two contracts and labored in the fields of California, cleaning, pruning and picking beets, cantaloupe, grapes, lettuce and …

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Interview No. 1216, Catarino J. Durán May 2006

Interview No. 1216, Catarino J. Durán

Combined Interviews

Mr. Durán briefly talks about his family and adolescence; several people in his community worked as braceros and returned home with new clothes and money, which was what he wanted for himself; in 1954, when he was twenty years old, he took a bus from his hometown to Mexicali, Baja California, México, where he enlisted in the bracero program; his first contract took him to Sacramento, California, to pick tomatoes for a cannery; later he worked in Stockton and Tracy, California; he goes on to describe how tiring it was to stay hunched over all day working in the fields; …

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Interview No. 1221, Judith García May 2006

Interview No. 1221, Judith García

Combined Interviews

Ms. García talks about her father, who was a bracero, and details his childhood; he was not formally educated for very long, but he did learn to read and write; when he was eighteen years old, he enlisted in the bracero program; Judith was about five years old at the time; his absence was difficult for the entire family, especially her mother; she had to take on the role of being a father for her children and, she also took over the family business of making and selling mezcal; Judith recalls that many of her friends’ father’s were also braceros, …

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