The Promised land

The Promised land

Sal Galaviz

Sal Galaviz

You are being asked to contribute your story to the Bracero History Archive, which is developing a permanent digital record of the Bracero program. Your participation in the project will allow future historians, and people such as yourself, to gain a greater understanding of this program and its effect on the people involved.
You must be 13 years of age or older to submit material to us. Your submission of material constitutes your permission for, and consent to, its dissemination and use in connection with the Bracero History Archive in all media in perpetuity. If you have so indicated on the form, your material will be published on the Bracero History Archive website (with or without your name, depending on what you have indicated). Otherwise, your response will only be available to approved researchers using the Bracero History Archive. The material you submit must have been created by you, wholly original, and shall not be copied from or based, in whole or part, upon any other photographic, literary, or other material, except to the extent that such material is in the public domain. Further, such material must not violate any confidentiality, privacy, security or other laws.
By submitting to the Bracero History Archive you release, discharge, and agree to hold harmless the Bracero History Archive and persons acting under its permission or authority, including a public library to which the collection might be donated for purposes of long-term preservation, from any claims or liability arising out of the Bracero History Archive's use of the material, including, without limitation, claims for violation of privacy, defamation, or misrepresentation.
The Bracero History Archive has no obligation to use your material.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

My Dad, Celedonio Galaviz came to the United States of America in 1951.He came to paticipate in the Bracero program.He did't have enough money to make the journey from Jalisco to the US border so my Grandmother(on my Mom's side) gave them a cow.They looked at it as an investment in thier feurure,so they sold the cow for 80 pesos which was alot of money in that time,and used the money to make the long trip to the US.He had 2 contracts with the Barcero program.The first time he went to Texas,the second time to California.He did faced racio descrimination in Texas,like having to use the back entrance at restuarants to eat and drinking out of a water hose insted of a fountain.He didn't mind or complain much,he was just glad to be working and making money to help support his family in Mexico.He tells about a time when they were asking all the short men to line up on one side.But they left him out, so step in line with the short men. Until they noticed him and made him get back in line with the other men.He questioned them and they said that all the short men were going to pick lettus,celery,strawberies...and that the taller men were going to pick lemons,ornges...he was 6ft tall.By the time he came to California he was known as a hard worker and was asked to return to work in the US when his contract expired. He was sponcered to come here and work by his boss.He got his Green card,and later his US citizenship.He sent for his family,all seven of us in 1965.He used to say "I don't have alot of mony to leave you, but what I do leave you is a land where you can do or be anything you want".We all made good in the United States and are thankful to our Mom and Dad for bringing us to this land of oppertunity.Thank You Dad. April,10,2010.RIP