Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Isidro Herrera Ortega was born in Zacatecas, México, in 1934; he was the oldest of his three siblings; his parents were seasonal agriculturalists, and they planted beans and corn; when he was eight years old, he began helping his parents work the land and care for animals; he was formally educated through the third grade; his father and some of his uncles enlisted in the bracero program, and in 1955, Isidro also joined; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, watering, picking and packing grapes, lettuce and tomatoes. Summary of Interview: Mr. Herrera talks about his hometown and working in agriculture and with livestock while growing up; he knew about the bracero program when it first started in the early 1940s; a number of men joined and returned, including his father and some of his uncles; Isidro decided to follow in their footsteps and enlisted in 1955 with the hopes of having a better life; to begin the contracting process, he traveled by bus to Irapuato, Guanajuato, México; later, he also went through the center in Empalme, Sonora, México; the center in Irapuato was situated on an old military camp, and it held between thirty and forty thousand people at a time; he also describes the medical exams and required documents; some men were on lists of available workers by municipalities, while others were not and relied solely on the people they knew at the center in order to go through; Isidro waited four months to obtain a contract; from there he was transported by bus to Mexicali, Baja California, México; once he crossed the border, he was examined again; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, watering, picking and packing grapes, lettuce and tomatoes; he also goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, deductions, correspondence and contract lengths and renewals; moreover, he mentions an accident in which a bus crashed and killed roughly fifteen braceros.
Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: María Soledad Reyes was born July 26, 1955, in Pajacuarán, Michoacán, México; her mother was a housewife, and her father worked in agriculture, sowing beans, corn and wheat; he came to the United States for a brief time, and he worked without proper documentation; later, when María was still a baby, he enlisted in the bracero program; after his time with the program, the family moved to Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México; María eventually married and immigrated to the United States; she and her husband settled in Arizona to raise their family. Summary of Interview: Ms. Reyes talks about her family and growing up in her half brother’s home; she was raised with several half siblings, and her mother cared for all of them; when María was still a baby, her father enlisted in the bracero program; while he was gone her mother sold tortillas and worked as a seamstress to supplement their income; María also recalls her day-to-day life with her mother and grandfather; upon her father’s return, he brought his wife and daughters undergarments from the United States, but his wife did not like them; he also bought a lot of groceries once in México to take home to his family; oftentimes, he shared stories with María about his experiences; he told her about the time he came looking for work in the United States and nearly died, because he was lost in the desert for three days; after he obtained a bracero contract, he suffered greatly when he was stripped and deloused like an animal; despite what he endured, he was still fond of several American customs; for instance, he preferred for his wife and daughters to wear pants instead of dresses; in addition, he frequently cooked at home and even showed his wife how to make flour tortillas; when he spoke in English, María thought he was a very important, intelligent and modern man; after his time with the program, the family moved to Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México, where she was formally educated; María eventually married and immigrated to the United States; she and her husband settled in Arizona to raise their family.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Selerina Landeros was born on ranch in Guanajuato, México, on February 13, 1921; she is the youngest of her twelve siblings; her parents were agriculturalists, and her father was a caretaker for several large ranches; she was formally educated for a year; later, in 1937, she married Dionisio Landeros; he enlisted in the bracero program in 1943; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California picking almonds and oranges until 1945; during that time, they had four children; in 1957, the family immigrated to the United States, and they had four more children, eight in total. Summary of Interview: Mrs. Landeros briefly mentions her family; she describes meeting and marrying her husband, Dionisio Landeros, in 1937; in addition, she talks about the agrarian reform that led to the land distribution in which her father, brothers and husband obtained land; later, in 1943, Dionisio decided to enlist in the bracero program; he initially signed up for the program in León, Guanajuato, México before traveling to Guanajuato, Guanajuato, México to begin the contracting process; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California picking almonds and oranges until 1945; his first contract took him to Sacramento, California to pick almonds for two and a half years; rather than return to México, he continued to renew his contracts in California; during his second contract, he worked in San Bernardino, California; he wrote letters to Selerina and told her to send their eldest son to school; when she did, her father-in-law kept getting angry and taking him back home; Dionisio even sent him money, but he never gave any to Selerina; in order to survive, she sold goods at a small grocery store on a ranch; she also explains that their land was contracted out by her in-laws when Dionisio was gone; during that time, they had four children, and their eldest was often hit by her father-in-law; in order to avoid problems, Dionisio sent for her, and in 1957, the family immigrated to the United States; they lived in Chicago, Illinois for a time, before finally settling in Arizona; she goes on to describe their life after the program; they went on to have four more children, eight in total.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Pedro L. Lechuga was born May 19, 1933, in Namiquipa, Chihuahua, México; he had six siblings, three of whom passed away; his parents were agriculturalists; he was formally educated through the sixth grade; in 1952, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning and picking beets, cotton, cucumber and green beans until 1958; he later immigrated to the United States. Summary of Interview: Mr. Lechuga briefly mentions his family; he recalls hearing rumors about men earning a lot of money in the United States; in 1952, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; although his wife was against it, she knew he had to leave; he went through the center in Chihuahua, México, and he describes the necessary documents and medical exams he underwent; when crossing the border in El Paso, Texas, he endured further assessments; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning and picking beets, cotton, cucumber and green beans until 1958; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, contract lengths and renewals, friendships, correspondence and recreational activities; in addition, he explains that while in Minnesota, the men were cheated; they were usually paid by the acre, but they were actually picking much more than that; their measurements showed they picked twenty acres but were only paid for fifteen; they complained and were ultimately able to remedy the situation; he also mentions that working in the beet fields was especially difficult and grueling; in 1958, his last contract took him to Pecos, Texas, where he only stayed for fifteen days, because the conditions were so poor; he later immigrated to the United States; overall, he still has positive memories of the program.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: José Leyva was born in 1952, in Phoenix, Arizona; he grew up in Litchfield Park, which was a camp for migrant farm workers and braceros; his grandfather was the foreman, and his grandmother, mother and aunts helped maintain the camp as well; when José was ten years old, the family moved to San Diego, California. Summary of Interview: Mr. Leyva talks about his family and growing up in Litchfield Park, which was a camp for migrant farm workers and braceros; he explains that five groups of camps were established in 1918 by Goodyear Farms, and they transported Mexican, Mexican-American and a few African-American workers to the camps; as men permanently settled in the area, the cities of Avondale, Peoria and Tolleson began to take shape; José’s grandfather was the foreman, and his grandmother, mother and aunts helped maintain the camp as well; his grandfather even won an award for getting the most cotton per acre of any ranch in the entire area; his prize was a brand-new 1957 Chevy truck; he insisted that because he treated the braceros like family, they were willing to work hard for him; the women in the family were up at 4:00 AM to make breakfast for the braceros, and they also made lunch and dinner; in addition, they washed and ironed for extra money; the braceros lived in dissolved army barracks, which were separated from where José and his family lived; even so, there was no distinction between the migrant workers and the braceros; when the women were not cooking, they were out in the fields picking with the men; oftentimes, they took the children with them; José remembers using old bean or flour sacks to help them with the picking and going with his grandfather to irrigate crops; moreover, he relates several anecdotes about his experiences in the camp with the braceros, including playing with them and celebrating weddings, baptisms and holidays together; when José was ten years old, the family moved to San Diego, California; he credits growing up in the Mexican community of the camps for his deep appreciation of his culture and language.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Alfredo López was born April 15, 1939, in Guasave, Sinaloa, México; he had eleven siblings; by the time he was thirteen years old, he left home to work; in 1958, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, picking and packing cotton, lemon, lettuce, tomato and other citrus crops; during the early 1960s, he returned to México between contracts and married; when the program ended, he stayed in California, and he eventually obtained permanent legal status in 1968. Summary of Interview: Mr. López talks about his decision to enlist in the bracero program in 1958; in addition, he describes the process he went through to get the necessary paperwork before traveling to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; he estimates that there were between fifteen and twenty thousand men processed daily; they were organized by lists according to states; from there he was transported to Calexico, California, where he was medically examined and deloused; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, picking and packing cotton, lemon, lettuce, tomato and other citrus crops; he also goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, treatment, payments, remittances, contract lengths and renewals, friendships and recreational activities, including trips into town; moreover, he explains that most men wanted to work in the northern states, because they would be paid by contract, whereas the southern states, including California and Arizona, paid by the hour, which meant less money; he also recalls fighting with several foremen, because he did not allow them to mistreat him; consequently, he often moved around to different camps; during the early 1960s, he returned to México between contracts and married; later, when the program ended, he stayed in California, but he returned to México every six months to a year; he eventually obtained permanent legal status in 1968.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Venustiano Machado was born December 30, 1931, in Sinaloa, México; he had eight siblings, six sisters, all of whom were older, and two brothers; when he was six years old, his father died; shortly thereafter, he began working to help support his family; consequently, he was never formally educated; his mother sold food and various other goods as well; by the time he was fifteen, he was working in the United States; later, during the early 1950s, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Santa Ana, California, picking asparagus, green beans, strawberries and tomatoes; he immigrated to the United States, where he eventually married and raised a family of four. Summary of Interview: Mr. Machado talks about his family and the death of his father when he was a boy; by the time he was fifteen, he was working in the United States; during the early 1950s, he put himself on the list of available workers in Sinaloa, México; he describes the necessary requirements and process he underwent; moreover, he explains that he had to pay ten pesos for someone to fill out the papers, because he was illiterate; once he crossed into the United States, he was stripped and medically examined; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Santa Ana, California, picking asparagus, green beans, strawberries and tomatoes; he goes on to detail camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, payments, deductions, remittances, contract lengths and renewals, friendships, correspondence and recreational activities, including trips into town; furthermore, he chronicles having to work seven days a week, thirteen to fourteen hours a day, when picking asparagus and strawberries so they would not spoil; despite the grueling work, he stayed with the same employer for seven years under the program and for an additional three years after obtaining his visa; he eventually married and raised a family of four; upon final reflection, he is proud to have been a bracero, because it changed his life and gave him more opportunities.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Cuauhtémoc Z. Madrid was born December 11, 1929, in Sonora México; he had eleven siblings; his mother was a housewife, and his father worked in copper, silver and gold mines; by the time Cuauhtémoc was eight years old, he was working odd jobs wherever he could find them; he was formally educated only through the sixth grade, because there were no secondary schools; as a young man, he enlisted in the bracero program and labored in the fields of Arizona for four months. Summary of Interview: Mr. Madrid talks about his hometown and what his life was like growing up; when he went to the center to enlist, contracts were suspended after ten days, and no one knew why; even so, he and others continued to wait; they held on to the belt loops of the people in front of and behind them so no one would get in line in front of them; while waiting, he climbed a tree, picked dates and gave them to the men that did not have food; when contracts resumed, he could not pass, because his papers were not signed; the men he helped feed argued on his behalf, and he was allowed to pass; he was stripped and examined, which was embarrassing, because there were women present; upon crossing into the United States, he was deloused and so were his luggage and clothing; as a bracero, he completed one contract and labored in the fields of Arizona for four months; he goes on to detail the camp size, living conditions, provisions, duties, payments, deductions, remittances, treatment, friendships, correspondence and recreational activities, including trips into town; when he arrived at the camp, it was in very poor condition; there was very little drinking water and nothing but tents; it rained, and all of his belongings were ruined; he could not replace them, because he did not have any money; he also talks about receiving a telegram from his family telling him to come home, because his father was very ill; his boss did not believe him and was reluctant to let him go; when he left his boss told him not to return, because by then it would be too late for any good pickings; although his father eventually recovered, he decided not to return as a bracero.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Zenon Martínez Banda was born in Lagunillas, San Luis Potosí, México; his father worked on a milpa; as a boy, he helped his father work in the fields growing corn and green beans; he was never formally educated; while in his early twenties, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, California and Montana cleaning, pruning and picking cotton and tomatoes; during his time with the program, he married and had three children; he and his wife later had two more children, five in total. Summary of Interview: Mr. Martínez recalls hearing people talk favorably about the bracero program and wanting to enlist; while in his early twenties, he decided to join the bracero program; he describes the requirements and necessary paperwork to enlist; additionally, he recounts going through the center in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México and entering the United States through Hidalgo, Texas; he also went through the center in Chihuahua and Sonora, México and entered through El Paso, Texas and Nogales, Arizona, respectively; Zenon also describes the medical exams and fumigation procedures he underwent; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, California and Montana cleaning, pruning and picking cotton and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, routines, payments, deductions, treatment, contract lengths and recreational activities; although he usually obtained forty-five day contracts, he did work for six months in Wilcox, Arizona and one year in Peoria, Arizona; during his time with the program, he married and had three children; he and his wife later had two more children, five in total.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Ángel M. Moreno was born May 12, 1923, in Mexico, Distrito Federal; he was the fourth born of his six siblings; his father worked on a ranch caring for horses, and although he was never formally educated, he learned and became a veterinarian; in 1944, Ángel enlisted in the bracero program; later that same year, he married a woman who was a US citizen; even so, he continued working with the program until 1947; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, picking cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower and lettuce; in 1993, Ángel also became a US citizen. Summary of Interview: Mr. Moreno talks about his family, his hometown and what his life was like growing up; he learned about the bracero program when it began through the newspapers and radio; when he was sixteen years old, he worked at a bakery; after a fight with his boss, he was fired, which prompted him to enlist as a bracero; he describes the requirements and the general questions he had to answer about farming; while waiting at the center, which was in a stadium, there were so many people that a stampede ensued and many were injured; he was eventually transported by train to Arizona; it was so crowded the men had to stand for the entire trip, and they were only given a sack lunch; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, picking cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower and lettuce; he also goes on to detail the camp size, housing, living conditions, accommodations, provisions, duties, seasonal routines, treatment, payments, deductions, correspondence, contract lengths and renewals and recreational activities, including trips into town and religious services; in 1944, during his first year as a bracero, he married a woman who was a US citizen; even so, he continued working as a bracero, with the same employer, until 1947; when his employer learned he had had married, he was moved to separate living quarters so he and his wife could be alone; moreover, he also relates several other anecdotes about his experiences; later, in 1993, Ángel also became a US citizen; he concludes that having been a bracero changed his life for the better.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Valentín Murillo was born in 1932, on a ranch in Michoacán, México; his parents worked on an ejido, and he had five siblings; he was formally educated through the third grade; as a young boy, he helped his family by working in the fields and caring for animals; his mother died when he was a teenager; the family moved to México, Distrito Federal; he eventually married, in 1953; two years later, in 1955, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in Arkansas, California and Texas, picking asparagus, beets, cotton, green beans and tomatoes; his last bracero contract was in 1961; he later immigrated to the United States. Summary of Interview: Mr. Murillo briefly talks about his family and what life was like growing up on an ejido; in 1955, he decided to enlist in the bracero program and went through the contracting center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México; he recalls the entire process, including lists of eligible workers, waiting times, and transportation to and from the center; in addition, he mentions going through centers in Empalme, Sonora and Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; he was also briefly examined at the centers and again, in more detail, at the border; although he suffered greatly during processing, once he began working in the United States, his situation improved; as a bracero, he labored in Arkansas, California and Texas, picking asparagus, beets, cotton, green beans and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, amenities, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, contract lengths, correspondence, friendships and recreational activities, including trips into town; moreover, he explains that although some contracts were only forty-five days, it was not uncommon to stay an additional fifteen days without renewing the contract; many men deserted, because forty-five days was not a sufficient amount of time to earn enough money, especially given the debt they incurred coming to the United States; in 1961, he completed his last contract; he ultimately immigrated to the United States in 1995, with the help of his son.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Margarita Murillo was born in Pajacuarán, Michoacán, México, on April 19, 1957; her father, Federico Herrera, was previously widowed and had seven children from that marriage; he later remarried and had two daughters, of which Margarita is the youngest; when Margarita was only a few years old, her father enlisted in the bracero program; he labored in the fields and on the railroads; after his time in the program, the family moved to Sinaloa, México, where Margarita learned to work in the fields; she later married, and her father died shortly after; she and her husband ultimately immigrated to the United States. Summary of Interview: Ms. Murillo talks about growing up with her sister and two half brothers; when Margarita was only a few years old, her father, Federico Herrera, enlisted in the bracero program; he labored in the fields and on the railroads; while he was gone, they stayed with different relatives on her mother’s side, because they did not have a home; her aunt often gave them supplies like food and soap, because they did not have anything; her mother cleaned, washed and sewed to earn money; eventually, her father was able to send enough money for them to rent a small adobe home; although they still lived in extreme poverty, Margarita was too young to know any better and was happy nonetheless; when Federico finally returned home, Margarita did not recognize him, because she was so young when he left; after his time in the program, the family moved to Sinaloa, México, where Margarita learned to work in the fields; she recalls her father talking to her about the sacrifices he made in order to work; when he crossed into the United States, he was stripped and fumigated, which is why he does not have a shirt on in his mica card picture; he also spoke to her in English and told her about his trips into town while working; in addition, he also showed them how to make flour tortillas and other foods; he always wanted the best for her and often encouraged her to come to the United States in the hope of having a better life; she later married, and her father died shortly after; she and her husband immigrated to the United States, and they were ultimately able to obtain legal status.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Antonio Olivares Samaniego was born February 8, 1929in Bavispe, Sonora, México; he was the fourth born of his five siblings; his mother was a housewife, and his father was an agriculturalist; he was formally educated only through the third grade, because he had to help his father work in the fields; the family later moved to Hermosillo, Sonora, México; during the early 1950s, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, California and Washington, picking and irrigating alfalfa, beets, cotton, pears, peas and tomatoes; after the program ended, he worked in the United States without proper documentation, but he was able to obtain legal status shortly thereafter. Summary of Interview: Mr. Olivares briefly talks about his family; after they moved to Hermosillo, Sonora, México, he heard about the bracero program; during the early 1950s, he decided to enlist in the program; he recounts the contracting process he underwent; although he was not medically examined in México, his hands and arms were checked to ensure that he was able to work; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona, California and Washington, picking and irrigating alfalfa, beets, cotton, pears, peas and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, routines, treatment, payment, remittances and contract lengths; in addition, he explains that while in Washington, his boss did not speak any Spanish; as a result, they communicated through signs; in Arizona, he had more contact with his boss, because he did speak Spanish; while there he was also given passes to return to México for Christmas; he also mentions that he worked from sun up to sun down, but he was only paid for ten hours daily; after the program ended, he worked in the United States without proper documentation, but he was able to obtain legal status shortly thereafter; overall, his experiences with the program were positive, because he had work in the United States, whereas in México, he did not.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Feliciano H. Ordoñez was born June 9, 1930, in Arizona; his father was from México, Distrito Federal, but as a boy he immigrated to the United States during the Mexican Revolution; he met his wife while working in the fields of Texas, and they moved to Arizona in the 1920s; Feliciano was the second born of his nine siblings; they grew up in the rural area of the west valley in Phoenix, Arizona; by the time he was six years old, he was already laboring in the fields; the entire family worked as migrant farm laborers, and his father was a foreman; as an adolescent, he often interacted with braceros while in the fields. Summary of Interview: Mr. Ordoñez talks about his family and his parents in particular; he also comments on the general Hispanic community in Phoenix; he recalls working in the fields by the time he was six and how the entire family worked as migrant farm laborers, including his father who was a foreman; the bracero program began in 1942, when he was twelve year old, which led to constant interactions with the men; his first impression of them was that although they were not very well educated, they were humble and very hard workers; he recalls that they were well received as they were close to the ancestral roots of much of the working community; even so, they worked in different fields than the locals, because their boss did not want them to know how much less they were earning in comparison; they earned nine to ten cents an hour; in general, they were kept separate and had little if any interaction with the people in the community; there were also discrepancies in the language, and the locals discovered how little Spanish they really knew; because they used the short hoe, they developed a gradual curvature of the spine, not unlike many of the locals; Feliciano also remembers reading articles in the local newspaper about how well the program was going and how much the braceros helped while the local men were off at war; he also recounts other anecdotes and details their housing, accommodations, living conditions and provisions.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Aristeo Ortega Acuña was born September 15, 1931, in Sahuaripa, Sonora, México; he was the second youngest of his nine siblings; his father was a laborer and also worked with seasonal crops; Aristeo was formally educated through the second grade; when he was fifteen years old, he worked in the fields of Obregón, Sonora, México; in 1957, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, picking and loading apricots, lettuce, peaches, tomatoes and other citrus crops; he completed a total of four contracts; after the program ended, he immigrated to the United States; in 1967, he was able to bring his family with him. Summary of Interview: Mr. Ortega briefly talks about his family; in 1957, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; initially, he signed up in Hermosillo, Sonora, México and then traveled to the contracting center in Empalme, Sonora, México; he recounts the entire process he underwent, including the requirements to pick cotton, necessary papers, long waiting times and medical examinations; as a bracero, he completed a total of four contracts and labored in Arizona and California cleaning, pruning, picking and loading apricots, lettuce, peaches, tomatoes and other citrus crops; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, contract lengths and recreational activities, including trips into town; in addition, he details picking peaches, which was especially difficult and dangerous, because of the high ladders they used; men often fell and were injured; despite the skill and risk involved, they were paid very little; he also recounts an incident in Sacramento, California when inspectors went to the camp, because the men were cheated out of their pay; they were transferred to another camp, and their boss was fined and no longer allowed to hire braceros; after the program ended, he immigrated to the United States; in 1967, he was able to bring his family with him; overall, his memories of the program are negative, because it was such a hard life, especially without his family.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Eva Ortiz was born April 5, 1934, on a ranch in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México; her mother, Teresa Orozco, was a housewife, and her father, Jesús Ruiz, worked on an ejido; Eva was the third born of her five siblings; she was formally educated through the fourth grade and often helped her father work the land; in 1957, she married Manuel Ortiz Orozco and later had two children; Manuel enlisted in the bracero program prior to their marriage, in1955, and he continued after as well; as a bracero, he labored in New Mexico and Texas, picking various vegetables and cotton and caring for livestock; they later immigrated to the United States and ultimately became citizens. Summary of Interview: Ms. Ortiz talks about her family and what her life was like growing up; as a young woman she began dating Manuel Ortiz Orozco, whom she knew from the ranch where they were both raised; in 1955, he enlisted in the bracero program; she was happy that he joined, because it was of great help, especially given that the harvests were so undependable; they often wrote love letters to each other; when he and other men were gone their fields were abandoned, and the women and children did the best they could; after he returned from his first contract, they married in 1957; they continued living on the same ranch, but were very poor; Manuel renewed his contract three more times out of necessity; even so, he earned only fifty cents an hour, and consequently did not have much to send home; the barracks he lived in often had rats and snakes; Eva stayed with her parents, and a year later, her son was born; she suffered greatly in Manuel’s absence; they were so poor, she had to go to different stores asking for them to extend her credit for food; the other bracero wives all helped each other as best they could and shared what little money they had; many were worried their husbands would find new wives in the United States and not return home; Manuel went home roughly every year; in 1960, their daughter was born; the family later immigrated to the United States, and they ultimately became citizens.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Manuel Ortiz Orozco was born June 17, 1927, on a ranch in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México; he was the youngest of his five siblings; his father worked his own land planting beans, corn and wheat; by the time Manuel was seven years old, he was helping his father in the fields; Manuel’s older brothers enlisted in the bracero program, and in 1955, he also joined; as a bracero, he worked in Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning, irrigating and picking beets and cotton and caring for livestock; later, in 1969, he immigrated to the United States, and he ultimately became a citizen. Summary of Interview: Mr. Ortiz briefly talks about his family and childhood; his older brothers enlisted in the bracero program, and in 1955, he also joined; he went through the contracting center in his hometown of Chihuahua, which he explains was called El Trocadero; if men did not have the proper documentation, they had to pay seventy-five pesos; the men were also examined by American doctors and asked questions about working the land; they were transported to El Paso, Texas in trains used to haul metal; consequently, upon arriving, they were all black and dirty; afterward, they were deloused, which he describes as being bathed in poison; they were not given time to clean or bathe before their photos were taken; the men were taken to their worksites in trailers used for cattle, which had seats and were actually comfortable; in spite of their suffering, Manuel recalls that they were happy, because they had work; as a bracero, he worked in Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning, irrigating and picking beets and cotton and caring for livestock; he goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, living conditions, accommodations, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, remittances, contract lengths and renewals, friendships, correspondence and recreational activities, including trips into town; in addition, he relates several anecdotes about his experiences with the program until it ended in 1964; during his time as a bracero, he married and had two children; in 1969, he immigrated to the United States, and he ultimately became a citizen.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Jorge Ortiz Márquez was born in July of 1931, in Colonia San Diego, in the municipality of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, México; he had four sisters and two brothers; when he was five years old, the family moved to Colonia Juárez, because their mother was very sick; Jorge only went to school for two years before he had to start working to support the family, because his father was badly injured; when he was eighteen, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the cotton fields of New Mexico and Texas for a total of six years; his brother was also a bracero; Jorge later worked in the United States without documents, but he ultimately obtained legal status. Summary of Interview: Mr. Ortiz talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; when he was eighteen, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; he describes the contracting process he went through in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, including the long waiting times and medical exams; from there he was transported in a cargo train to El Paso, Texas; he explains that roughly one thousand five hundred men were transferred daily; once in El Paso, he was taken to a center called Rio Vista, where he underwent further assessments and delousing procedures; afterward, he was fed, but the food had some kind of purgative, because they were all sick and had to stop several times on their way to the worksites; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of New Mexico and Texas for a total of six years; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, remittances, contract lengths and renewals, correspondence and recreational activities, including trips into town; in addition, he also talks about his brother, Isabelo Ortiz, who was also a bracero; they worked together in Texas for a widowed woman; Isabelo was injured while working, but he was taken to the doctor and quickly recovered; Jorge wrote letters for Isabelo, because he did not know how to write; after the program ended, Jorge worked in the United States without documents, but he later obtained legal status with the help of his employer.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Efrén Pacheco A. was born April 19, 1936, in Ascensión, Chihuahua, México; as a boy, he worked in the fields as did his parents and siblings; in 1956, when he was twenty-one, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning and picking cotton until 1960; he later worked in the United States without proper documentation; during the 1980s, he was able to obtain legal status for himself and his family with the help of his employer. Summary of Interview: Mr. Pacheco briefly talks about his family; in 1956, when he was twenty-one, he decided to enlist in the bracero program; he went through the contracting center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, where he waited for roughly ten days; he paid to sleep in a hotel during that time; those who did not have money slept outside; the men were loaded into trains without seats and transported to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México; they were forced to stand, and they did not stop for restroom breaks throughout the duration of the trip; once they arrived at the border, they had to stand in lines and could not move, because they would lose their place; unless they brought food with them or had money, they did not eat; the men were then stripped to their undergarments and deloused with pesticides used for animals, which smelled horribly, before being medically examined; afterward, they used the public restrooms to bathe as best they could, often without towels to clean or dry themselves, before getting transferred to their worksites; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning and picking cotton until 1960; he goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, treatment, payments, remittances, contract lengths and renewals, discriminatory practices and recreational activities; moreover, he relates several interesting anecdotes about his experiences, including an unsuccessful strike; after the program ended, he worked in the United States without proper documentation, but he was later able to obtain legal status for himself and his family.