David Salcido Martínez

Title

David Salcido Martínez

Description

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: David Salcido was born in Durango, Durango, México; he is the youngest of nine siblings; at an early age, he started working in agriculture; he enlisted in the bracero program in 1964; during this time, he worked in Colorado cleaning sugar beet fields.


Summary of Interview: Mr. Salcido remembers a hard childhood that forced him to work at an early age so he could help his family economically; these hardships led him to enlist in the bracero program in 1964; he worked in Colorado cleaning sugar beet fields; additionally, he describes the hiring process, the contracting center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, the difficulties he endured there, and the train trip to the México-United States border in cattle cars; furthermore, he explains how the reception center in El Paso, Texas worked, the disinfection procedures they endured and the signing of his contract; he continues to recount the bad treatment they received, and how he felt that they were treated as animals; moreover, he narrates the daily activities on the farm, how the work was performed, their housing, and the food they ate; he discusses the good relationship he had with other braceros and the activities they did during weekends; in addition, he recalls the types of contracts he had, their lengths, and the way ranchers treated him; he states the benefits of having been a bracero, what the term bracero means to him and why he has fond memories of the experience.

Creator

Martínez, Laureano
David Salcido Martínez

Date

2003-06-03

Subject

Bracero

Contributor

Cristóbal Borges

Rights

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

Language

spa

title (Spanish)

David Salcido Martínez

creator (Spanish)

Martínez, Laureano

contributor (Spanish)

Cristóbal A. Borges

Rights Holder

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

Original Format

Mini Disc

Duration

40:15

Bit Rate/Frequency

24 bit
96 k

Interviewer

Martínez, Laureano

Interviewee

Salcido Martínez, David

Location

Durango, Durango, México

File Name Identifier

Salcido_Martinez_DGO029

Citation

Martínez, Laureano and David Salcido Martínez, “David Salcido Martínez,” Bracero History Archive, accessed November 13, 2024, https://braceroarchive.org/items/show/193.