Jesús Rodríguez Méndez

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Jesús Rodríguez Méndez was born in Guerrero, Chihuahua, México, in 1940; he helped his father work the land; due to the financial strain he and his family were under, he was never able to receive any formal schooling; he worked as a bracero for the first time in 1963, in Pecos, Texas.

Summary of Interview: Mr. Rodríguez learned of the Bracero Program while living in his hometown of Guerrero, Chihuahua, México; he traveled to Chihuahua, Chihuahua, in order to begin the enrollment process; he had to wait for two weeks to be called; during this time, he did not have money or a place to stay; he recalls that people coming from southern México waited for months at El Trocadero, the processing center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, to be hired; when the braceros were officially hired, the United States government paid the Mexican government 10¢ per bracero; in 1963, he was hired and sent to work in Pecos, Texas.

Parra-Mantilla, Myrna

Rodríguez Méndez, Jesús

2003-06-13

Parra-Mantilla, Myrna, "Jesús Rodríguez Méndez." Bracero History Archive, Item #18 (accessed January 07 2009, 4:23 pm)