Martín Conejo
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Martín Conejo is the son of Ernesto Conejo, who was a bracero during the late fifties and early sixties; Martin’s father, Ernesto, was born on a ranch, just outside of Morelia, Michoacán, México; his father died when he was young, and as the eldest of his siblings, he became the head of the family; he worked in a bicycle factory for a time before hearing about the bracero program; as a bracero, he worked in Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin, picking apples, corn, and tomatoes. Summary of Interview: Mr. Martín Conejo is the son of Ernesto Conejo, who was a bracero during the late fifties and early sixties; Martín explains how much he admires his father for having been able to successfully work as a bracero in the United States in spite of the fact that he only had a third grade education; Ernesto was the first person from his ranch to work in the United States; he was initially contracted in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; while there he was physically examined and asked questions about his work experience; as a bracero, he worked in Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin, picking apples, corn, and tomatoes; after every contract, he would return to México; on occasions when he had to walk through the desert, he would survive on water and powder ground from garbanzo beans for three or four days; Martín goes on to describe his father’s memories of the different worksites, payment schedules, housing, living amenities, provisions, treatment, and remittances; he mentions an instance where there were problems with a foreman who would cheat the workers out of money; because Ernesto was a good cook, he would often leave work early to begin preparing meals while his fellow workers covered for him; in spite of this, he did witness tension between Mexicans even though there was plenty of work; overall, Ernesto spoke well of the bracero program; he was eventually able to arrange for his entire family to legally immigrate to the United States.
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Conejo, Martín
date: 2005-09-01
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Aguileo Nambo
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Aguileo Nambo was born on October 15, 1941, in Cuitzeo, Michoacán, México; he was the youngest of five siblings, and his parents were farmers; when he was a child, his father worked in California and Illinois for a brief time; in approximately 1960, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero he worked primarily in California, but also obtained short contracts to work in Arizona; he labored in the fields picking asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, and squash; although he had no intentions of staying in the United States when the program finished, he and his family eventually emigrated in the late seventies. Summary of Interview: Mr. Nambo briefly discusses his family and adolescence; when he was about fifteen years old, he and his older brother went to pick cotton in Sonora, México, and he was able to get his military service ID early; he traveled to Empalme, Sonora, and he paid money to get his name on the county’s list of available workers; while waiting there, he endured harsh conditions, but some of the men that were not called were left without any money or way to get back home; as a bracero he worked primarily in California, but he also obtained short contracts to work in Arizona; he labored in the fields picking asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, and squash; he also describes the various worksites, living conditions, provisions, payment, treatment, and remittances; moreover he details how people from a local store would send transportation to the camp on payday; working as a bracero provided him with the opportunity to help maintain his family; he becomes very emotional upon describing one instance in which he witnessed a man being severely mistreated, but he was too embarrassed to do anything; in spite of all that he suffered, his overall memories of being a bracero are positive; although he had no intentions of staying in the United States when the program finished, he and his fam…
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Nambo, Aguileo
date: 2005-09-01
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Marcos Ruiz
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Ruiz, Marcos
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Manuel Sánchez Moreno
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Sánchez Moreno, Manuel
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José Marín Zepeda
subject: bracero
description: José Marín Zepeda was born in Sinaloa, México, but he was raised in Mexicali, Baja California, México; his father served in the bracero program; José had two siblings; his formal education extended through the fifth grade; during the 1960s, he also enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, picking asparagus, cotton, dates, strawberries and tomatoes; in 1970, he returned to the United States and arranged for legal status; sometime later, he married and eventually had four children, two boys and two girls. Summary of Interview: Mr. Marín talks about his life in México, including his various odd jobs; he initially learned about the bracero program through newspaper announcements; during the 1960s, after completing his military service, he went to Empalme, Sonora, México with a group of roughly four hundred men to pick cotton and get the necessary papers to enlist in the program; upon arriving in the United States, he was inspected like a piece of fruit and fumigated; many men were embarrassed by the entire process; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, picking asparagus, cotton, dates, strawberries and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, accommodations, amenities, provisions, duties, treatment, payments, deductions, remittances and recreational activities, including trips into town; before leaving, his father had told him to go to Coachella, California, and say he was a palmero, or date picketer, even though he was not, because he could learn on the job; he enjoyed working as a palmero and explains that Levi’s were best to use, because they were especially durable; in addition, he used special boots; he also recalls going into town to see Spanish movies with some of the locals; on occasion, his mom was able to visit him, because she had a passport; he also recounts his life after the program; in 1970, he returned to the United States and arranged for legal status; sometime later, he…
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Marín Zepeda, José
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Esteban Gutiérrez Saldivar
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Gutiérrez Saldivar, Esteban
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Ismael Rodríguez Rico
subject: Bracero
description: Ismael Rodríguez Rico is the eldest of his three brothers; when he was six years old, his father died; afterward, he and his brothers worked wherever they could; eventually, Ismael enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arkansas, California and Texas, cleaning, pruning and picking asparagus, beets, cotton, lettuce and tomatoes; he later immigrated to the United States, and he was ultimately able to obtain legal status. Summary of Interview: Mr. Rodríguez talks about his childhood and how sad it was, including his father’s death when he was only six years old; as a young man, he looked for work wherever he could find it; when he learned about the bracero program, he saw it as an opportunity to save money and help his family; in order to join, he had to put himself on the list of eligible workers; as part of the contracting process, he had to present his birth certificate, proof of military service and other documents; in addition, he was medically examined and deloused; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arkansas, California and Texas, cleaning, pruning and picking asparagus, beets, cotton, lettuce and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, duties, payments, correspondence and trips into town; while in Texas, he worked by contract, which enabled him to stop and rest when necessary; in contrast, when getting paid by the hour, foremen were constantly watching him, forcing him to stay hunched over and not allowing him to straighten up; in Arkansas, he and other men were given small notebooks to keep track of the amount of cotton they picked; in some camps, it was so hot that the men had to take salt pills; moreover, he mentions that his time as a bracero was very lonely, especially because the camps were so isolated from the towns, which left them surrounded by darkness; he later immigrated to the United States, and he was ultimately able to obtain legal status.
creator: Sifuentes, Mario
creator: Rodríguez Rico, Ismael
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Simón Acosta
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Simón Acosta was born on Zicorato, Sinaloa, México, in March 5, 1938; he was the oldest of 13 siblings; his parents worked in agriculture; he became a bracero in 1959 and worked in California; he picked beets, cotton, oranges, and cut lettuce. Summary of Interview: Mr. Acosta remembers how he heard about the bracero program in Sinaloa, México, and how he traveled to Sonora to get contracted; he relates how he had to pick cotton to earn his card for contracting and how the process was conducted in Empalme, Sonora, México; moreover, he states how the processing center at El Centro, California worked, how he was fumigated with a spray, and that he had blood drawn when crossing the border into the United States; he recalls working in California picking beets, oranges and cutting lettuce; furthermore, he goes on to discuss how daily life was for the braceros, how they listened to the radio for entertainment, and that they walked into town to buy goods; he also states what his pay was like as a bracero and how he was treated by foremen; additionally, he expresses what his life was like after his work as a bracero, how he became legalized, and the pay he received in the United States.
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Acosta, Simón
date: 2006-05-22
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José María Aguilar García
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: José María Aguilar García was born on March 19, 1933, in Casa Blanca, Michoacán, México; his parents were campesinos on a small ranch where he and his ten siblings were born; when he was roughly eight years old, his mother died; although he did not know how to read or write, he did learn how to work in agriculture and care for livestock; for a short time his father and brother were braceros; in the early fifties he also enlisted in the bracero program, and he primarily worked in California; after the program ended he was able to obtain legal documentation and permanently settle in the United States. Summary of Interview: Mr. Aguilar briefly recalls his family and childhood; he talks about coming to Brawley, California, illegally when he was nineteen years old and learning how to clean and prune lettuce crops; his time in Brawley served him greatly, because not only did he learn how to care for crops, he was also able to obtain a new eighteen month contract from his boss there while he was working another forty-five day contract in Arizona; on several occasions he passed through the reception center in Calexico, California, which he describes as very bad, primarily because of the way they were deloused; he goes on to chronicle the various worksites, living and housing conditions, provisions, treatment, duties, payments, deductions, remittances, contract renewals, and recreational activities; in addition, he mentions working in Salinas, California, when his father became ill and receiving a three day pass from his employer to visit him in Mexicali, Baja California, México; he also discusses an instance in which the food made him sick; when he complained, he was transferred to a new work location; after the program ended he was able to obtain legal documentation and permanently settle in the United States; overall, he has positive memories of having worked as a bracero, because he was able to send his children to school and general…
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Aguilar García, José María
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Agustín Bautista
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Agustín Bautista was born in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, México; he is the youngest sibling in his family; in 1943, he joined the bracero program; as a bracero, he worked in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas on the railroads; he also picked cotton, lemons and strawberries. Summary of Interview: Mr. Agustín Bautista recalls growing up in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, México; he states that he is the youngest sibling in his family; additionally, he explains that he was contracted for the first time on 1943, at Empalme, Sonora, México; he details how the contracting and processing of braceros was done, the treatment they received in Empalme, and how they were transported to the United States-México border; furthermore, he explains how officials had braceros shave their heads before crossing into the United States to prevent lice from spreading and how they were deloused; he relates how he worked in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Texas on the railroads and picking cotton, lemons, and strawberries; moreover, he states the work that he did while working on railroad tracks, how hard it was, and the dangers of it; he also describes what daily life was like for braceros, the living quarters they had, the food they ate, and what they did for recreation; in addition, he relates the difficulty of the agricultural work braceros did, the pay they received and the deductions made to his paycheck for food; furthermore, he states how he received ten percent of his paycheck that had been deducted for savings when he returned to México in between contracting; he clarifies that this only happened once, though; to conclude, he recounts how he returned to the United States as a legal migrant after the program ended.
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Bautista, Agustín
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Marcelino Burciaga
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Marcelino Burciaga was born on September 24, 1938, in Canatlan, Durango, México; his father was a carpenter and a shoemaker; he is the youngest of three brothers; from 1961 to 1962, he worked as a bracero in California picking cucumbers, green beans, lemons, and oranges. Summary of Interview: Mr. Burciaga recalls growing up in Canatlan, Durango, México; he states that his father was a carpenter and a shoemaker; at an early age, he began working in agriculture; he states that in 1961 he decided to join the bracero program because of financial difficulties; he describes being contracted in Mexicali, Baja California, México and being sent to Empalme, Sonora, México for processing; while in Empalme, he states that he was given medical exams; he details the treatment he received in that center, and then he explains how he was transported to the United States-México border; once he became a bracero, he worked in California picking cucumbers, green beans, lemons, and oranges from 1961 to 1962; furthermore, he relates what a typical workday was for him as a bracero, the type of work that he did, and how he was treated by foremen; he also discusses the pay he received for his labor and the food he was given; moreover, he states what he did for recreation, and how he would spend his days off doing laundry and going to the movies; he remembers saving money and having ten percent of his pay deducted from each paycheck; he concludes by explaining what the program meant for him.
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Burciaga, Marcelino
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Catarino Jauregui Durán
subject: Bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Catarino Jauregui Durán was born on March 22, 1934, in Nochistlán [de Mejía], Zacatecas, México; he had eight siblings, and his eldest brother was an undocumented worker for the railroads in San Francisco, California; in 1954, he enlisted as a bracero, like his father; while in the bracero program he labored in the fields of California picking celery, tomatoes, and strawberries; he worked on and off with the program until 1962, at which point he established residency, and continued working for the same employer until 1982. Summary of Interview: Mr. Jauregui briefly talks about his family and adolescence; several people in his community worked as braceros and returned home with new clothes and money, which was what he wanted for himself; in 1954, when he was twenty years old, he took a bus from his hometown to Mexicali, Baja California, México, where he enlisted in the bracero program; his first contract took him to Sacramento, California, to pick tomatoes for a cannery; later he worked in Stockton and Tracy, California; he goes on to describe how tiring it was to stay hunched over all day working in the fields; in addition, he details the various worksites, duties, housing, amenities, provisions, treatment, payment, remittances, friendships, and recreational activities; when his contract ended he returned to México; in 1957, he went through the center in Empalme, Sonora, and he went to Oxnard, California, to pick strawberries; while there, members of the Mexican consul helped him renew his contract without having to return to México; at the time, his father was also working as a bracero in Coachella, California; his father was able to arrange for the two of them to work together on the same farm; in 1960, his father returned to México, and he stayed in Coachella; two years later, his employer helped him obtain legal residency; even so, he decided to stay working in the same place for the next twenty years; he concludes by statin…
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Jauregui Durán, Catarino
date: 2006-05-20
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Manuel García
subject: Bracero
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: García, Manuel
date: 2006-05-20
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

José Gómez Cardenas
subject: Bracero
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Gómez Cardenas, José
date: 2006-05-23
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Fortino Covarrubias
subject: bracero
description: Fortino Covarrubias was born on a ranch by name of Santa María de Gracia in Teocaltiche, Jalisco, México; he was born into a family of agriculturalists and had nine brothers; his father worked in the United States for a time, and one of his older brothers was a bracero; in 1959, when he was roughly nineteen years old, he also enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he completed one contract and labored in the fields of California, picking grapes, strawberries and tomatoes; he ultimately returned to the United States and became a citizen. Summary of Interview: Mr. Covarrubias recalls growing up and seeing several of the men in his community going to work in the United States, which inspired him to do the same; in 1949, shortly after completing his military service, he enlisted in the bracero program; he went to Empalme, Sonora, México, where he suffered greatly during the four months he waited for a contract; upon crossing into the United States, he was stripped, medically examined and deloused, like an animal; as a bracero, he completed one contract and labored in the fields of California, picking grapes, strawberries and tomatoes; he goes on to detail camp size, housing, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, friendships, payments, remittances, contract lengths and renewals and recreational activities, including trips into town; his first two weeks of working were especially strenuous, because he was hunched over for hours at a time, which was extremely painful; he and others often ate fruits and vegetables from nearby fields while they worked; on occasion, women would go to the camps at night without permission; he compares the life they led of restriction to that of a communist society; when his contract ended, his boss offered to help him legally immigrate, but he refused and later regretted his decision; afterward, it was too difficult to get a new contract, so he came without documents; he admits that it was easier without a contract, because he had m…
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Covarrubias, Fortino
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Juan Contreras
subject: bracero
description: Juan Contreras was born in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México; his father was in the military, and the family consequently moved around a lot; Juan later enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington picking various fruits and vegetables; while in Oregon, he worked for Libby’s picking fruits; he later immigrated to the United States, married and raised a family. Summary of Interview: Mr. Contreras initially learned about the bracero program through a friend and went to enlist; a few weeks later, he received a telegram telling him to go to the Buena Vista station in México, Distrito Federal, where he volunteered for Exterior Relations; later, he traveled by train to the United States; Mexican soldiers watched over the seven cars with roughly eighty men in each; by the time they reached El Paso, Texas, only three or four cars were left; he did not have to endure any physical exams; however, he later went through the center in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México, and he was stripped, examined and shaved for lice; he was given special preference, because he had already worked in the United States; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington picking various fruits and vegetables; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, amenities, provisions, duties, treatment, payments, remittances and recreational activities, including trips into town; while in Portland, Oregon, he worked for Libby’s picking fruit that was later canned; the bed linens were changed every three days; they also had ice cream parties and other social events, including dance lessons; in Utah, women often went to the camps, and they were rumored to be especially fond of Mexican men; while in Arizona, he was refused service at a restaurant and noticed a discriminatory sign; he and others complained to the Mexican consul, and the sign was removed; in addition, he …
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Contreras, Juan
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Luis Díaz Savala
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Díaz Savala, Luis
date: 2006-05-24
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Jorge Flores y Nava
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Flores y Nava, Jorge
date: 2006-05-24
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Raul Hernández
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Hernández, Raul
date: 2006-05-24
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Atanacio Jiménez López
subject: bracero
creator: Sifuentez, Mario
creator: Jiménez López, Atanacio
date: 2006-05-24
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

Mateo Murillo Lamas
subject: bracero
description: Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Mateo Murillo Lamas was born on September 21, 1916, in Valparaíso, Zacatecas, México; when he was roughly twenty years old, he moved to México, Distrito Federal; in 1942, while there, he was taken at gunpoint by Mexican officials and transported by train the United States to enlist in the bracero program; he continued voluntarily working as a bracero through the midfifties, primarily in the cotton and lettuce fields of Arizona, California, and Colorado; in 1989, he became a U.S. citizen. Summary of Interview: Mr. Murillo vividly recalls being in México, Distrito Federal, in 1942, when he was taken at gunpoint by Mexican officials and loaded into a train; there were roughly one thousand men aboard, and by the time they reached California, there were only two hundred men, at most, because so many had jumped off the train; as he was about to be transported to his worksite, American officials asked if he would be willing to take arms and help the United States should the need arise; he agreed and signed a paper that put him on a reserve list, but he was never called to action; in spite of his initial recruitment, he continued voluntarily working as a bracero through the midfifties, primarily in the cotton and lettuce fields of Arizona, California, and Colorado; he goes on to chronicle the various worksites, living and working conditions, duties, daily routines, treatment, payments, contract renewals, and recreational activities; in addition, he mentions receiving a portion of his salary in the form of stamps that he could use to purchase clothing or shoes according to a rationing schedule; he also comments that in the years following the war braceros were generally not treated as well, because their impending necessity was no longer at issue; moreover, he explains how he was ultimately able to use his previous work history to become a U.S. citizen in 1989; he also asserts that braceros not only supported the economy of both countrie…
creator: Sifuentez, Mario and Loya, Denise
creator: Murillo Lamas, Mateo
contributor: Cristóbal Borges
rights: Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
language: spa

My Papa the Bracero
creator: Silveria Arizona Ballaron
contributor: Silveria Arizona Ballaron
rights: Testing

Bob Huckaby
creator: Simon Hasken
date: 2008-09-24
rights: Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso
language: EN

Armando F. Salinas
creator: Simon Hosken
rights: Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso
language: EN

Sam Ashworth
subject: Farmer
creator: Simon Hosken
date: 2008-09-23
rights: Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso
language: ENG