Jesús Sierra Espinoza
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Jesús Sierra was born on June 21, 1935; he grew up in a stonemason family in Durango, Durango, México; he was the oldest of five brothers; at an early age, he worked cutting stone to help his father; in 1956, he joined the bracero program and worked in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas; he picked cotton, strawberries, and tomatoes; he also harvested lettuce and sugar beets. Summary of Interview: Mr. Sierra grew up in Durango, Durango, México; he learned stonemasonry from his father; in 1956, he joined the bracero program due to economic hardship; he worked in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas; additionally, he describes the hiring process he went through, the legal requirements of the program, how the bracero reception centers in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México and Empalme, Sonora, México worked, and the different ports of entry to the United States; he recounts his experience at Rio Vista, a bracero processing center in Socorro, Texas; furthermore, he recalls his first activities farming, how work was distributed, their wages, and their contracts; he also details the housing they had, the treatment they received from foremen, the relationships among braceros and what they did during weekends.
creator: Martínez, Laureano
creator: Sierra Espinoza, Jesús
date: 2003-05-30
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José Guadalupe Blanco Ortega
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: José Blanco was born on December 12, 1923, in Canelas, Durango, México; he was formally schooled through the second grade; when he was eight years old, he left his family to work with his father; they farmed together well into his teenage years; later he married and began a family; in 1949, he decided to enroll in the bracero program; as a bracero, he worked picking cotton in New Mexico and Texas. Summary of Interview: Mr. Blanco recalls his family, childhood, and adolescence; in 1948, he married his wife, and the following year, before the birth of their second child, he decided to enroll in the bracero program; he describes how he and a group of men walked through the mountains for three days to get to a town where they could take the train to Durango, Durango, México; from there they traveled to Chihuahua to officially begin the hiring process; he describes the entire hiring and contracting process including the medical exams and disinfecting procedures; as a bracero, he worked picking cotton in New Mexico and Texas; he explains how he picked the cotton, the wages he earned, the methods of payment, and how he was able to obtain amendments and extensions to his contracts; in addition, he tells what daily life was like on the farms including the housing and food; in general, he was treated well by his American employers; he also recalls his return trip to México; overall, he benefited greatly from the program, and he concludes that he is proud to have been a part of it.
creator: Martínez, Laureano
creator: Blanco Ortega, José Guadalupe
date: 2003-01-31
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José Ignacio Astorga Corral
subject: Bracero
description: Nombre del entrevistado: José Ignacio Astorga Corral Facha de la entrevista: 17 de marzo de 2003 Nombre del entrevistador: Laureano Martínez Esta es una entrevista con el señor José Ignacio Astorga Corral, en la ciudad de Durango, Durango, el día 17 de marzo de 2003. Conducida por Laureano Martínez para el Projecto Bracero del Instituto de Historia Oral de la Universidad de Texas en El Paso. LM: Buenos días don José. JA: Buenos días. LM: ¿Cómo está? JA: Pos bien, y, ¿ustedes cómo están? LM: Muy bien, gracias a Dios. JA: Con su trabajo, ¿cómo andan? LM: Pos bien, aquí. JA: Pos nosostros aquí andamos echándole ganas a ver qué es lo que nos dicen ustedes. LM: Muy bien, don José, me gustaría comenzar esta entrevista preguntándole, ¿dónde y cuándo nació usted? JA: Agárrate, yo nací en Palomas Canelas, Durango. LM: ¿En qué año? JA: El año [19]33, el 31 de julio a las seis de la tarde. LM: ¿Cómo se llamó su papá? JA: Francisco Astorga Chávez. LM: Y, ¿su mamá? JA: Pastora Corral González. LM: ¿Cuántos hermanos tuvo, don José? JA: Mire, tuve muchos, ahí le va, pero de mi mamá juimos ocho. LM: ¿Se acuerda de los nombres de sus hermanos? JA: Sí, el primero fue yo, José Ignacio y luego sigue Rosalba Astorga Corral, Carolina Astorga Corral, Austriberto Astorga Corral, Ricardo Astorga Corral, Jesús Astorga Corral, Aureleano Astorga Corral, el socoyote Fidel Astorga Corral, los ocho. LM: ¿Usted era el mayor de ellos? JA: Así es, el primero. LM: ¿A qué se dedicaba su papá, don José? JA: Agricultor, ganadero y campesino. Hay que hablar la cosa como es, él era agricultor, ganadero y campesino. LM: ¿Qué sembraban, don José? JA: Maíz, papa y frijol, era lo que se levantaba en esa sierra de Durango, es en la Madre Sierra de Durango donde está ese rancho. LM: Maíz, papa y frijol. Y, ¿tenían ganado?, ¿tenían vaquitas? JA: Ey, vaquitas, bestias. LM: Y, ¿tuvo usted oportunidad de ir a la escuela? JA: No, estábamos en un rancho incomunicado de maestros, de todo, ya cuando quisimos salir a es…
creator: Martínez, Laureano
creator: Astorga Corral, José Ignacio
date: 2003-03-17
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Maurilio Salcido Hernández
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Mauricio Salcido was born on September 13, 1936, in Durango, Durango, México; at the age of twenty-one, he became a bracero; he worked in Phoenix, Arizona, Michigan, Montana, and Texas from 1957 to 1964. Summary of Interview: Mr. Salcido worked in the bracero program from 1957 to 1964; he recalls the hiring process for braceros, the medical exams they endured and how they were treated at the reception centers in Empalme, Sonora, México and the United States; additionally, he describes picking cotton in Arizona, cucumbers in Michigan, sugar beets in Montana, and irrigating cotton in Texas; he explains his pride in having been a bracero, the benefits of being a contracted migrant worker, and how his earnings during the bracero program helped him purchase the properties he owns.
creator: Martínez, Laureano
creator: Salcido Hernández, Maurilio
date: 2003-02-01
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Miguel Jáquez López
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Miguel Jáquez was born on May 7, 1931, in Chalchihuites, Zacatecas, México; he grew up in Súchil, Durango, with his nine siblings; when he was eight years old, he began working cutting wood and planting beans and corn; one of his brothers was a bracero and encouraged him to enroll in the bracero program; in 1953, he enlisted, and he worked in Arizona, Arkansas, and Texas, picking cotton; he continued working with the program until 1959. Summary of Interview: Mr. Jaquez recalls his family, childhood, and adolescence; one of his brothers was a bracero and encouraged him to enroll in the bracero program; in 1953, he enlisted, and began the hiring process; he describes the contracting centers in Durango, Durango, Monterrey, Nuevo León, and Empalme, Sonora, México, and the entire hiring process, as well as the extensive medical exams; as a bracero, he worked in Arizona, Arkansas, and Texas, picking cotton; he goes on to explain what daily life was like on the farm, including work, wages, payments, contract amendments and extensions, housing, food, weekend outings, and common complaints; in addition, he mentions specific instances of racism the braceros experienced in various towns; he concludes with fond memories of his overall experiences as a bracero.
creator: Martínez, Laureano
creator: Jaquez López, Miguel
date: 2003-05-27
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Ramón Ávila Hernández
subject: Bracero
description: Nombre del entrevistado: Ramón Ávila Hernández Fecha de la entrevista: 2 de junio de 2003 Nombre del entrevistador: Laureano Martínez Esta es una entrevista con el señor Ramón Ávila Hernández, en la ciudad de Durango, Durango, el día 2 de junio de 2003, conducida por Laureano Martínez, para el Proyecto Bracero del Instituto de Historia Oral, de la Universidad de Texas en El Paso. LM: Buenas tardes don Ramón, ¿cómo está? RA: Bien, bendito sea Dios. LM: Me gustaría comenzar esta entrevista preguntándole, ¿dónde y cuándo nació? RA: Pos nací en Durango, Durango. LM: ¿Cuándo? RA: El 20 de octubre de 1939. LM: ¿Cuántos años tiene? RA: Voy en sesenta y cuatro, treinta y nueve cumplidos, ya ando en los sesenta y cuatro. LM: ¿Cómo se llama su papá? RA: Ramón Ávila Lizardo. LM: Y, ¿su mamá? RA: Francisca Hernández Reyes. LM: ¿De dónde son originarios ellos? RA: Pos de aquí de Durango, ¿no? 2do: De Zacatecas. RA: ¿Mande? 2do: De Zacatecas. RA: De Zacatecas es mi papá. LM: De Zacatecas, ajá. Y, ¿su mamá? 2do: De aquí de Durango. LM: ¿A qué se dedicaba su papá o a qué se dedica su papá? RA: Bueno, cuando yo tuve uso de razón mi papá trabajaba en el Cerro Mercado. LM: En el Cerro Mercado. Es una mina, ¿verdad? RA: Sí. LM: ¿Qué hacía su papá ahí? RA: Pos era barretero, ¿verdad? LM: Barretero. Y, ¿su mamá? RA: Pos ama de casa. LM: Al hogar. RA: Exactamente. LM: ¿Cuántos fueron ustedes de familia? RA: Catorce. LM: Catorce, ¿cuántos hombres y cuántas mujeres? RA: Somos… 2do: Cuatro hombres. RA: Cuatro hombres y diez mujeres. LM: De esos, ¿tú eres el mayor? RA: El mayor de todos. LM: ¿Fue usted a la escuela, don Ramón? RA: Sí. LM: ¿Hasta qué año? RA: Hasta el cuarto año. LM: Hasta el cuarto año. ¿Por qué? RA: Porque ya no había más en el rancho onde estábamos nosotros ahí, hasta ahí había nada más. LM: ¿Dónde vivían?, ¿en qué rancho? RA: En Benjamín Aranda, Municipio de Canatlán. LM: O sea que nació usted aquí en Durango y se fue. RA: Sí, de la edad de once años nos fuimos para el ran…
creator: Martínez, Laureano
creator: Ávila Hernández, Ramón
date: 2003-06-02
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Paulino Martínez
subject: bracero
creator: Martínez, Paulino
date: 03-06-23
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Asterio López León
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Asterio López León was born on October 27, 1927, in Palmar de Sepúlvedas, Sinaloa, México; he is the oldest of eleven siblings; his parents worked in agriculture, and he began working with them from an early age; he completed formal schooling until the third grade; in 1950, he joined the bracero program, and worked as a bracero on and off until 1962; he worked in California picking cotton, grapefruit, and oranges. Summary of Interview: Mr. López 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 contracts; additionally, he states what the trip to the border was like, how the processing center in El Centro, California worked, and the medical exams he went through; he recounts that he was able to avoid fumigation by stating to the person conducting it that he did not want to get his suit dirty and that he would just leave; he states that the fumigator let him through without fumigating; in 1950, he joined the bracero program, and worked as a bracero on and off until 1962; he worked in California picking cotton, grapefruit, and oranges; moreover, he relates what daily life was like on the farms, the treatment he received from foremen, and the work he did.
creator: Mena, Violeta
creator: López León, Asterio
date: 2006-05-22
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Jesús Aceves Gutiérrez
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Jesús Aceves Gutiérrez was born on August 15, 1939, in Tototlán, Jalisco, México; he is the second oldest of eight brothers and five sisters; he received little formal schooling, but his mother taught him to read and write; in 1957, he joined the bracero program; he worked in Coachella, California picking cotton, dates, grapefruits, lemons, and oranges; he left the program in 1960 and later returned to California to pick dates. Summary of Interview: Mr. Aceves Gutiérrez recalls his childhood in Tototlán, Jalisco, México; he explains that his father was a wealthy man, and that his mother educated him; at age eleven, he began working in agriculture; he remembers joining the bracero program in 1957 and traveling to Empalme, Sonora, México for his contract; moreover, he relates what the contracting process was like, how he was treated by officials, and what physical exams he was given; he describes being taken to the border in trucks, and how he was deloused in El Centro, California; he expresses feeling humiliated during this process; furthermore, he explains how braceros were picked for work at El Centro and then taken to their worksites; he worked in Coachella, California until 1960, picking cotton, dates, grapefruits, lemons, and oranges; he details daily life as a bracero, the work he did, how much he was paid, and how many hours he worked; more specifically, he outlines the differences between getting hourly pay versus contract pay, as well as how deductions were made to his paychecks for food; he details bracero living arrangements, the bad quality of the food they received, and how they were treated by foremen; he also discusses labor unions that were developed in the fields; in addition, he remembers how he was discriminated against by police officers; he states he returned to Coachella with papers after the program finished; beyond his bracero experience, he relates that he is a writer and composer; he also states that he …
creator: Mena, Violeta
creator: Aceves Gutiérrez, Jesús
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Jesús Campos Ortiz
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Jesús Campos Ortiz was born in 1943, in Aquila, Michoacán, México; he was the fifth born of his six brothers and four sisters; by the time he was eight years old, he was working to help support his younger siblings; consequently, he was never formally educated; he became a bracero in the early sixties, when he was roughly seventeen years old, using false papers; one of his uncles and a few of his cousins were also braceros; by the mideighties he and his family had all legally immigrated to the United States. Summary of Interview: Mr. Campos describes his hometown, family, and childhood; in the early sixties, when he was roughly seventeen years old, he enlisted in the bracero program using false papers that his father had acquired for him; he explains various aspects of the contracting process in México, including organization by municipalities, necessary paperwork, exams, and travel methods; moreover, he notes that his uncle was injured as a result of the medical assessments he underwent; Jesús goes on to detail worksites, duties, hours, housing, provisions, treatment, payments, remittances, recreational activities, and working relationships; in addition, he describes being in the United States for the first time and becoming so ill that he had to be taken to the hospital; he thinks it was due in large part to the pressure of being away from home; while working in Woodland, California, he and others were paid 13¢ per box of tomatoes, which caused some to organize a strike for higher pay; although he was not involved, he was still treated poorly and faced other difficulties in light of the situation; he also mentions an instance where he and a friend were loading a truck, his friend fainted and was taken to a hospital by ambulance; while discussing employers he notes that many ranchers preferred undocumented workers, because they did not require the same pay or benefits as braceros; by the mideighties he, his wife, and all seven …
creator: Mena, Violeta
creator: Campos Ortiz, Jesús
date: 2006-05-26
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Roberto García Sánchez
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Roberto García Sánchez was born on May 13, 1933, in El Bueyero, Mexticacán, Jalisco, México; his mother’s name was Dominga Sánchez, and his father’s name was Cruz García; Robert had eight siblings, but two of them died; his father, Cruz, owned a small plot of land, a milpa, which he inherited from his father; consequently, Robert grew up sowing corn and beans as well as caring for animals; in 1942, Cruz enlisted in the bracero program; later, in the midfifties, Roberto followed in his father’s footsteps, and he continued working with the program until it ended in 1964; he and his family later immigrated to the United States. Summary of Interview: Mr. García gives a detailed description of his parents, siblings and children; he recalls his father becoming a bracero and the difficulties he and his family faced; they had to work the land and care for the animals on their own; in addition, he describes the various tasks his mother had to perform as well; he later began working illegally in Arizona against his father’s wishes; during the midfifties he went with a coyote in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, and later to Empalme, Sonora, México, to enlist as a bracero; on average, he had to wait there for at least fifteen days; he was able to survive by working as a cook in a restaurant, and he continued doing so whenever he had to wait for a contract; as part of the processing he was stripped, which he describes as embarrassing and sad; in addition, he mentions having to pay a representative for handling the papers, as well as travel expenses; as a bracero, he worked in six different places, but he spent most of his time in the San Gabriel, California, area; he goes on to detail the camps’ living conditions, housing, accommodations, daily routines, payments, deductions, remittances, and recreational activities, including trips into town; in 1994, he and his family legally immigrated to the United States.
creator: Mena, Violeta
creator: García Sánchez, Roberto
date: 2006-05-26
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Saturnino González Díaz
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Saturnino González was born on November 25, 1943, in Tequisquiapan, Querétaro, México; he was raised with his eleven siblings; his father was an artisan, and although he learned the trade, he did not like it; he was formally educated through the sixth grade, and he ultimately obtained a secure job with the federal electricity commission in México; when he was nineteen, he enlisted in the bracero program where he worked throughout California picking lemons and strawberries; in 1972, he was able to emigrate to the United States, and he was ultimately able to bring the rest of his family with him. Summary of Interview: Mr. González briefly recalls his family and childhood; he remembers hearing stories about his dad working in the United States, which made him want to do the same; as a young man he acquired a secure job with the federal electricity commission in México, mounting high tension cables; when he was nineteen he heard about a call for braceros, and he decided to quit his job for the chance to work in the United States; he traveled to the processing center in Empalme, Sonora, México, but he ended up being in debt before ever obtaining a contract; moreover, 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; as a bracero he worked throughout California picking lemons and strawberries; he goes on to describe the various worksites, duties, contract renewals, living conditions, provisions, payment, treatment, remittances, and recreational activities; oftentimes he served as a kind of leader for the other men, because he looked out for them and made sure no one took advantage of them; while working in Aromas, California, the crop was ruined by rain, but instead of returning to México, he deserted and sought work elsewhere; he initially went to Salinas, California, but he eventually made his way to Chicag…
creator: Mieri, Magdalena
creator: González Díaz, Saturnino
date: 2005-08-31
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Antonio García
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Antonio García was born on June 13, 1937, in Tepehuanes, Durango, México, but he grew up in Nuevo Ideal, Durango; he was the eldest of five siblings, two of which died when they were young; when he was five years old, his mother died, and he was raised by his father and step-mother; his father was a farmer who worked as a bracero for a short time; when Antonio was seventeen, he enlisted in the bracero program; he continued working with the program on and off until the early 1960s. Summary of Interview: Mr. García recalls his childhood and family; he went to school through the fourth grade, and he quit school at the age of thirteen in order to work; when he was seventeen, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; although he was not yet of age, he arranged for his military ID card to state that he was eighteen years old in order to begin the hiring process; he goes on to describe what the contracting center in Durango, Durango, México was like; his first contract took him to work in the cotton fields of Texas; he describes what the living and working conditions were like while he was there; about a week after being there, he became very ill, and he was unable to work for over two weeks; he believes it was the food that made him so sick; although he was taken to the doctor and given medication, it did not help, and he eventually returned to México; after spending several months in México, he decided he wanted to try working as a bracero again; he describes the contracting centers he went through in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, and Empalme, Sonora, México, as well as the various places he worked in throughout California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
creator: Morales Haro, Claudia
creator: García, Antonio
date: 2003-03-12
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José Félix Prieto
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: José Félix was born on September 21, 1939, in Tepetongo, Zacatecas, México; as a child he would eagerly wait for his father to come home from working as a bracero; he knew at a young age that he also wanted to become a bracero; in 1959, he began the hiring process for the bracero program; he worked in various cities throughout California, Illinois, and Texas. Summary of Interview: Mr. Félix recalls that as a child, he would eagerly wait for his father to come home form working as a bracero; he knew at a young age that he also wanted to come to the United States to work as a bracero; when he was eighteen, he began marching in the Mexican army in order to obtain his military ID card so he could enlist as a bracero; in 1959, he went to Empalme, Sonora, México, to begin the hiring process; he describes what the center was like and how he waited twenty-one days for a contract; in addition, he explains how he was medically examined and then transported to Mexicali, Baja California; he goes on to detail the medical exams he underwent in Calexico, California, including x-rays, blood samples, and the delousing process; his first work contract took him to Stockton, California, for three months; after his contract expired he returned to México, and he later went through the contracting center in Guasave, Sinaloa, México, which took him to work in Salinas, California, picking lettuce; he later went through another contracting center in Matamoros, Taumalipas, and he worked picking cotton in Texas; when his contract expired, he again returned to México; sometime later, he was able to arrange the necessary paperwork for him to emigrate into the United States.
creator: Morales Haro, Claudia
creator: Félix Prieto, José
date: 2003-02-24
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Roberto Almaraz Valdivia
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Roberto Almaraz Valdivia was born in Tabasco, Zacatecas, México, but raised in Villanueva, Zacatecas; his parents worked in agriculture, and he had four sisters and three brothers; he was formally schooled through the fourth grade; when he was roughly twelve years old, he began working in agriculture as well; in 1952, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he worked in California, Colorado, Michigan, and Texas, picking beans, beets, cotton, cucumber, grapefruits, limes, oranges, and tomatoes; he continued working with the program until 1960. Summary of Interview: Mr. Almaraz briefly discusses his family and childhood; in 1952, he enlisted in the bracero program in Villanueva, Zacatecas, México; from there, he traveled to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; he mentions the physical examinations and delousing process he underwent as part of the contracting process; from Empalme he was taken to El Centro, California, which is where the ranchers chose the workers they wanted; while there, the workers also signed their contracts, which were initially for forty days, but they could be extended for six month periods at a time, until they had completed eighteen months of work in total; as a bracero, he worked in California, Colorado, Michigan, and Texas, picking beans, beets, cotton, cucumber, grapefruits, limes, oranges, and tomatoes; he goes on to discuss the various worksites, duties, living conditions, provisions, payment methods, and recreational activities; in addition, he describes the letters he sent home to his mother and girlfriend, whom he later married in 1957; while in Oxnard, California, he became good friends with the foreman, and he eventually worked his way up to second in command; he was later able to get permission to rent a small house with other co-workers; he continued working with the program until 1960.
creator: Morales, Argelia
creator: Almaraz Valdivia, Roberto
date: 2005-09-01
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Refugio López de Saldaña-Sandoval
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Refugio López Saldaña Sandoval was born in Tlaltenango [de Sánchez Román], Zacatecas, México, on December 21, 1939; she was the fourth born of her three brothers and two sisters; her father was a metal worker, and her mother was a housewife; she was formally educated through the sixth grade; in addition, she grew up surrounded by a very close-knit family, which included extended relatives; in December of 1958, when she was nineteen years old, she married a man named Nicolás, who served in the bracero program both before and after their marriage. Summary of Interview: Ms. López describes her childhood and adolescence; she recalls meeting Nicolás, her husband, when she was fifteen, and she details their four year courtship; in 1959, a few months after their marriage, he returned to the United States on a new contract; while he was away, she stayed with her parents; shortly after his first return home, she became pregnant; his mother and sister, who lived in Santa Ana, California, insisted that Refugio have the baby in the United States; Refugio was hesitant at first, but she eventually agreed; Nicolás obtained a visitor’s permit and worked at a bakery in San Bernardino, California, while she lived with her mother-in-law in Santa Ana; consequently, all six children were born in the U.S.; Refugio goes on to chronicle the different places she worked and how her husband studied to become a realtor; although she did not suffer very much, because she was surrounded by her family, her husband did; he often cries when reflecting upon his experiences as a bracero; even so, these memories served as motivation for him to work hard so his children would have a better life; traveling to the United States was especially difficult, because he was transported in trains used for animals, which smelled horribly; Refugio concludes by stating that what helped her the most, especially in dealing with the clash between two cultures, was her family and …
creator: Mota, Annabel
creator: López de Saldaña-Sandoval, Refugio
date: 2006-05-12
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Rodolfo López
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Rodolfo López was born on November 17, 1937, in Angamacutiro, Michoacán, México; he began working in agriculture at an early age; after his military service, he joined the bracero program in 1957; he worked in California picking cotton and driving tractors; in 1960, he became a U.S. resident. Summary of Interview: 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 was; he discusses the housing they had, the food they ate, and the daily work they did; additionally, he expresses what they were paid, and the treatment he got from foremen; he also relates what things they did for recreation, and how he kept in contact with his family; in 1960, he became a U.S. resident; he concludes by stating that he feels the bracero experience was a positive one.
creator: Murillo, Grisel
creator: López, Rodolfo
date: 2006-05-22
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Agustín Alvarez
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Agustín Álvarez was born on August 28, 1941, in Los Volcanes, Jalisco, México; he lived with his mother and grandparents; at an early age, he began working in agriculture and, later, as a vaquero; he completed three years of formal school; his family moved to Mexicali, Baja California, México in 1960; he joined the bracero program that same year; as a bracero, he worked in Arizona and California picking cotton, lettuce, and tomatoes until 1964. Summary of Interview: Mr. Álvarez remembers his childhood in Los Volcanes, Jalisco, México, and growing up with his mother and grandparents; he states that he only completed three years of formal school, because he started working in agriculture at an early age; after the death of his aunt, he remembers how his mother moved his family to Mexicali, Baja California, México to help his uncle; he recalls learning about the bracero program while living there; in 1960, he joined the bracero program; he describes how he was contracted in Empalme, Sonora, México, what the process was like there, and how he was later sent to a center in Calexico, California; additionally, he explains what medical exams braceros received in the processing center, how they were deloused, and the food they were given; he describes how he felt humiliated during his time at the centers; he compares it to being treated like an animal; once in the United States, he worked in Arizona and California picking cotton, lettuce, and tomatoes until 1964; he details what life was like as a bracero, the work he did, and the good treatment he received from his foremen; moreover, he discusses the pay he received, where he lived, and the food he was given; he continues to recount an accident that occurred while braceros were being transported to a worksite; he explains that they were traveling in two different trucks and the first one was hit by a train; furthermore, he states he witnessed the entire accident and that many braceros d…
creator: Murillo, Grisel
creator: Alvarez, Agustín
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Anselmo Gámez
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Anselmo Gámez was born on April 21, 1928, in Villa Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, México; when he was three years old, his mother died; shortly thereafter, he and his family moved in with his grandmother; although his father remarried, he continued to care for his family; in 1955, Anselmo enlisted in the bracero program; he worked primarily in California picking cantaloupe, cotton, dates, and lettuce, and he also used to water the crops; with the help of one of his employers, he was ultimately able to gain citizenship. Summary of Interview: Mr. Gámez briefly talks about his family and childhood; initially, he learned about the bracero program through word of mouth, because people were often given the necessary credentials for the program in town; he went through contracting centers in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and Empalme, Sonora; while in Empalme, a representative from an American company was there to recruit workers; he also describes the journey from the centers to the border; as a bracero he worked primarily in California picking cantaloupe, cotton, dates, and lettuce, and he also used to water the crops; he goes on to detail the various worksites, duties, housing, amenities, treatment, provisions, and payment; in addition, he talks about one instance where he was watering the crops in over one hundred degree weather, when he stopped to get a drink of water, and he was reprimanded; consequently, he complained, and he was sent to work elsewhere; soon after, there was an incident in which he and other workers were given inedible food, and when they objected, the situation was quickly resolved; he goes on to describe how their living quarters were burglarized one day while they were eating lunch; the thief was a local teenager who was apprehended, and the workers’ belongings were soon returned; moreover, he repeatedly makes reference to the fact that he had both good and bad experiences; he was ultimately able to gain citizenship with t…
creator: Murillo, Grisel
creator: Gámez, Anselmo
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Eusebio Hernández
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Eusebio Hernández was born on December 16, 1934, in Cuquío, Jalisco, México; growing up, most of his time was spent traveling between his hometown and Guadalajara during planting seasons; consequently, he received very little formal education; in 1958, he enlisted in the bracero program where he worked in the fields with crops such as beets, cotton, lettuce, and onions; he continued on and off with the program until 1962. Summary of Interview: Mr. Hernández briefly mentions his family, childhood, and adolescence; while working at a gas station in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, he heard about contracts for the bracero program; in order to receive the proper documentation for the program he had to pick two thousand kilograms of cotton before being sent to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora; he describes the journey from the centers to the border and the physical exams and delousing process he underwent as rude and embarrassing; as a bracero he worked in the fields with crops such as beets, cotton, lettuce, and onions; furthermore, he details the difficulty of working while hunched over with a short hoe for hours at a time and the subsequent back problems he developed; he also talks about being paid 65¢ an hour, and in addition to taxes, having to pay $1.75 per day for food; there was one incident when he was not paid, but after bringing it to the foreman’s attention, the situation was soon resolved; in addition, he recalls a situation where a bracero was physically and verbally abused by an employer; he also mentions conflicts between the braceros themselves; the cooks, for example, earned a little more money and often mistreated those who worked in the fields; while he was a bracero his sister moved to Mexicali, Baja California, México, and he was able to visit her on weekends; he continued working on and off with the program until 1962, at which point he immigrated to the United States and began working as a tailor; during…
creator: Murillo, Grisel
creator: Hernández, Eusebio
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Higinio López Silva
subject: bracero
description: Higinio López Silva was born January 11, 1926, in Calvillo, Aguascalientes, México; his mother’s name was Félix Silva, and his father’s name was Sixto López; Higinio had five brothers and two sisters; his formal education extended through the fourth grade; he worked in the United States without proper documentation for roughly three years; during the early 1950s, he married and shortly after enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields cleaning, pruning and picking various crops; in 1961, his employer helped him legally immigrate to the United States; Higinio helped his wife and two children do the same; he and his wife went on to have five more children. Summary of Interview: Mr. López talks about his family and what his life was like growing up on a ranch; in 1947, he came to work in the United States without proper documentation; after three years, immigration officials sent him back to México; during the early 1950s, he married and started raising a family; by the time he enlisted in the bracero program he had two children; he went through the contracting center in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México; oftentimes, he went with groups of other men so the process would not be as bad; even so, he describes crossing into the United States as very difficult and sad, especially the fumigation procedures; as a bracero, he labored in the fields cleaning, pruning and picking various crops; he goes on to detail camp sizes, housing, provisions, routines, payments, deductions, remittances, correspondence, contract lengths and renewals and recreational activities, including trips into town; for a time, he worked with one of his brothers; Higinio relates the story of how his twenty-seven year old brother died in an accident with a crop dusting airplane; his employers waited for fifteen days to bury him, because they wanted his father to see him; he was eventually laid to rest in Brawley, California; in 1961, his employer helped him legally immigrate to the …
creator: Murillo, Grisel
creator: López Silva, Higinio
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Tarsicio Ortiz
subject: bracero
description: Tarsicio Ortíz was born October 21, 1951, in Michoacán, México; his father was born in 1915, and he labored in the fields as a campesino; during the 1940s, before he married, he enlisted in the bracero program; he continued working as a bracero until Tarsicio was roughly ten years old; in addition, several of his family members were also braceros; Tarsicio was formally educated through the third grade; he later came to the United States without documents, but he was ultimately able to obtain legal status and help his father do the same; his father later died at the age of seventy-nine. Summary of Interview: Mr. Ortíz talks about his father’s time as a bracero; he initially enlisted in the bracero program during the 1940s, before he married; some of his friends were hesitant to join, because they were afraid of being sent off to war; even so, he had to take the chance; he went through the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; his hands were checked for calluses; some of the men that did not have any work experience rubbed sticks together in their hands to make calluses; he often talked to Tarsicio about how difficult life in México was and how working as a campesino was simply not enough, which is why he decided to leave; Tarsicio remembers that with the money his father sent, the family was able to buy land and livestock and make a better life for themselves; even so, it was difficult being without his father; he returned home once or twice a year, and he brought clothes, shoes and toys; he was an affectionate man and often told stories about his experiences as a bracero; during his free time, he played poker with other braceros and regularly won cigarettes; the men also listed to the radio; overall, Tarsicio admits that his life was better because of the money his father was able to send the family; his father later died at the age of seventy-nine; Tarsicio also mentions his on-going fight for bracero compensation.
creator: Murillo, Grisel
creator: Ortiz, Tarsicio
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José Isabel Ortiz Hinojosa
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: José Ortiz was born on March 25, 1934, in Doctor Arroyo, Nuevo León, México; his parents were farmers, and he had six brothers and three sisters; when he was eight years old, he went to school for roughly six months before leaving to help his family with the farming duties; in 1954, he decided to enroll in the bracero program; as a bracero, he worked picking crops in Arkansas and Texas. Summary of Interview: Mr. Ortiz describes his childhood and adolescence; he initially learned about the bracero program through radio advertisements, and in 1954, he decided to enlist; in order to begin the hiring process, he and his brother traveled to the contracting center in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; he goes on to describe what he went through at the center, including the huge crowds, waiting time, medical exams, provisions, and transportation services; upon crossing the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, he underwent a second set of medical exams, which consisted of blood samples and a delousing process; as a bracero, he worked in Arkansas and Texas, where he primarily picked crops; he explains what life was like in the work camps, while detailing how the workers would go about preparing their food; in addition, he discusses how he would send money home to his family and how he would go shopping to buy them gifts during his spare time; he also mentions that although he had several opportunities to arrange for legal residency in the United States, he preferred to stay in his hometown of Doctor Arroyo, Nuevo León, México.
creator: Ortiz Hinojosa, José Isabel
date: 2003-05-23
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Jesús Flores
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Jesús Flores was born on April 15, 1925 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México; he grew up in a small town outside Guadalajara, and worked with his parents in a ranch; in 1951, he joined the bracero program and worked on and off in it for nine years; he worked in California. Summary of Interview: 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 days to acquire his pass to get contracted in Empalme, Sonora, México; he recounts paying a lawyer to help him get his visa in 1960, and how it was difficult because he did not have civil papers because they had been burnt by Cristeros.
creator: Pelayo, Monica
creator: Flores, Jesús
date: 2006-05-22
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Herminio Estrada Tozcano
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Herminio Estrada Tozcano was born on a ranch in Saloya, Jalisco, México; he was the second born, of his two sisters; his father died in the revolution when he was roughly three or four years old; he started going to school, but his teacher was killed during the Cristero War, which put an end to his formal education; when he was ten years old he began working in agriculture; Librada Estrada was born in Unión de Tula, Jalisco, México; she had three brothers and three sisters; in 1942, she and Herminio were married; later that same year, he enlisted in the bracero program and worked in Arizona and California until the program ended in 1964; they later moved to the United States and were ultimately able to legally and permanently settle there. Summary of Interview: Librada talks about how she and Herminio met and courted for a year before getting married in 1942; later that same year, he traveled to Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, to enlist in the bracero program; his first contract took him to Phoenix, Arizona, where he picked lettuce for eighteen months; while in Arizona, he also worked in Aguila, Somerton, and Yuma; his contracts in California took him to work in Salinas and Yuba City; a friend of his wrote letters to Librada for him, because he did not know how to write; he sent home what little money he could; sometimes, he was only left $1.75 or $2.00 after deductions; if men complained, the foremen would remind them that México was close enough for them to return if they were dissatisfied; he explains that while in Yuma, he worked half a day on Saturday and was then given permission to go to México for the rest of the weekend; Librada moved to San Luis, Sonora, México, with their four children to be closer to Herminio while he worked in Yuma; while living in Sonora, they had seven more children, four of whom survived; Herminio continued working with the program until it ended in 1964, at which point he returned to Sonora and co…
creator: Pelayo, Monica
creator: Estrada Tozcano, Herminio and Librada Estrada
date: 2006-05-26
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
relation: Estrada_SANB005
language: spa