Ignacio Nájera

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Ignacio Nájera was born in 1937, in Santa Isabel, Chihuahua, México; he was formally educated for four years; in 1960, he and a group of friends traveled to Chihuahua, Chihuahua, to begin the enrollment process for the bracero program; he worked in the cotton fields of Texas and New Mexico and the beet fields of Montana and Nebraska; he was a bracero for a total of six years.

Summary of Interview: When Mr. Nájera began the enrollment process in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México he showed his Mexican military ID and a letter of recommendation; he recalls that sometimes when traveling from Chihuahua to El Paso, Texas, the braceros had to pay in order to get a place on a train or bus; his first work contract took him to the lettuce fields of Hereford, Texas; while there, he was burned with a liquid that was used to disinfect the lettuce; he worked in Montana for three years, where they paid him $14.50 per acre that he picked; in Pecos, Texas the braceros had to pay $10.00 per week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; during their free time, the braceros often played cards.

Parra-Mantilla, Myrna

Nájera, Ignacio

2003-05-11

Parra-Mantilla, Myrna, "Ignacio Nájera." Bracero History Archive, Item #17 (accessed January 07 2009, 4:15 pm)