Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Bárbaro Chacón Delgado was born in San José de Carreras, Chihuahua, México, in 1923; his father was a farmer; in 1946, he became a bracero; he was hired by a food processing company in Michigan; in 1947, he was married during one of his visits to his family in Chihuahua; he went on to work across the United States, however, he worked primarily in beet fields; he eventually became a supervisor in one of those fields; he worked as a bracero for a total of fifteen years. Summary of Interview: By the time Mr. Chacón became a bracero in 1946, thousands of people from the south of México had arrived in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, to begin the hiring process; from Chihuahua, people were sent to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas; the ranchers came to Fort Bliss to take as many braceros as they needed for work; he recalls that as a direct consequence of World War II, people in the United States suffered from food shortages and other such difficulties; he also remembers that although he never personally suffered from racist aggressions or discrimination, groups like the Ku Klux Klan killed many braceros.
Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Beatriz Martínez Hernández was born in Zacatecas, México, on March 18, 1930; her parents later had a son, but he passed away; her father’s job led the family to move to Manuel Doblado, Guanajuato, México, where she grew up; her formal education extended through the third grade; she married when she was roughly sixteen years old; her husband later enlisted in the bracero program; they went on to have six children. Summary of Interview: Ms. Martínez briefly mentions her family and childhood; during her adolescence she worked helping a woman cook and clean; Beatriz describes meeting her husband and the four year courtship that ensued; they eventually married when she was roughly sixteen years old, and they stayed in Manuel Doblado, Guanajuato, México; in 1953, her husband enlisted in the bracero program; he went through the contracting center in Irapuato, Guanajuato, México, where he endured long lines and physical exams before obtaining a forty day contract; at the time, he and Beatriz had three children and lived on their own; his family knew he was gone, and they would often ask Beatriz if she had heard from him; he sent letters and what little money he could home; in general, he was a reserved man and spoke very little about his experiences; Beatriz’s compadre, José, was also a bracero; he went more often and stayed longer than her husband; when José returned home, he brought gifts, including pantyhose for all the women in the family; Beatriz goes on to talk about life after the program and how they went on to have six children.
Picture of Belen Soto Moreno and her cousin as young girls.
Picture of Belen and friends with softball mits
Picture of Belen Soto Moreno at her Holy Communion.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Belisrio Luna was born on June 26, 1936, in Guadalupe Victoria, Durango, México; he was the sixth of eleven children; his father died when he was six years old; he was forced to work in agriculture at the age of thirteen; due to economic hardship, his mother also rented him out as a laborer; in 1951, he enlisted in the bracero program and worked in Arizona, California, and Texas; he picked and harvested cotton, lemons, lettuce, and oranges; he did these jobs until 1963. Summary of Interview: Mr. Luna worked in Arizona, California and Texas from 1951 to 1963; he recalls how he found out about the bracero program, the hiring process in rural areas, and the hardship braceros experienced outside contracting centers; additionally, he describes the medical examinations performed on him and the bracero facilities in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, and Empalme, Sonora, México; he also details his trip to the border and the disinfecting stations he went through; furthermore, he recounts his first farming activities, the different jobs he performed, the different kinds of cotton he picked, and the details of his workdays; he remembers the food they ate, the housing they had, their weekend outings, and the relationships among braceros; moreover, he discusses the contracts they signed, their wages, the methods of payment, and the treatment they received from foremen; beyond daily activities, he recollects a time when he was sick, and the severe weather he experienced in Arizona; he explains his definition of the word bracero, the pride he feels in having taken part in the program, and his sadness when the program was terminated.
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.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Benito Fierro was born on March 20, 1932, in Julimes, Chihuahua, México; he was the third of nine brothers to be born, and they all learned the agricultural trade from their father; in 1953, he became a bracero; his primary duties in Texas and New Mexico were picking and irrigating cotton crops; in Montana and Colorado, he cleaned and pulled sugar beets; he continued working as a bracero until 1961. Summary of Interview: Mr. Fierro recounts his childhood and the difficulties he and his family faced; he describes the various stages of the hiring process, including the contracting center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México, and the medical examinations he underwent at Rio Vista, a processing center in Socorro, Texas; as a bracero, his work included the following: picking and irrigating cotton crops, picking peas, harvesting lettuce, pulling sugar beets, and cleaning the fields in which they grew; he explains the different wages he received for the various jobs he performed and what he did when his contracts expired; in addition he recounts his experiences when he was sick; he goes on to detail what life was like for him and others on the farms, including what their food was like, what their hobbies were, and what they often did on weekends and in their spare time; furthermore, he concludes that he was grateful to have worked as a bracero and how much that had an impact on not only him, but his family as well; working as a bracero helped him obtain legal residency and ultimately citizenship in the United States.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Bernabé Álvarez was born on June 11, 1938, and he was raised on a ranch in Amacuzac, Morelos, México; he had three brothers and three sisters, but his eldest brother died; when he was eight years old, he started working in the fields, and consequently, he did not receive an education until he was much older; he enlisted in the bracero program in 1961, and continued working with the program until it ended in 1964; as a bracero, he worked throughout California picking beets, cantaloupes, chiles, eggplants, and tomatoes. Summary of Interview: Mr. Álvarez talks about his family and childhood; in 1958, he paid to get his name on the list of eligible workers for the bracero program in Empalme, Sonora, México, but he was only cheated out of his money; later, in 1961, he paid again to get his name on the list, and five days later, he obtained a contract; consequently, he underwent rigorous medical exams while there; he comments that between the first and second time he went to Empalme, the city had grown tremendously, because thousands of people had to spend money while they were waiting there; as a bracero, he worked throughout California picking beets, cantaloupes, chiles, eggplants, and tomatoes; he goes on to detail the various worksites, duties, housing, provisions, recreational activities, and remittances; in addition, he explains how tremendously strenuous and painful it was to work in the beet fields, because he had to use the short hoe; even after a week of using it, he still found it difficult to sit, stand, or even eat; he repeatedly mentions that the heat was unbearable; in fact, many men left before fulfilling their contracts; furthermore, he states that in addition to the copious amounts of water, they were also given salt pills, because they would sweat so much; if they were able to survive the agonizing heat, they could renew their contracts without returning to México; he also describes working with his brother and cousin in 1962; after the program ended, he returned to México, and he continued working in agriculture; overall, having been a bracero proved to be a positive experience for him, because he was able to make a better life for himself and his family.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Bernard Lipsey was born in October of 1945; he was born in a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, but he was raised in Lepanto, Arkansas; his parents opened a grocery store in 1948; during the fifties, eighty percent of their business came from braceros; all the stores in town began expanding so much that by the time the bracero program ended, they had already lost too much money; his parents’ store eventually closed in 1963. Summary of Interview: Mr. Lipsey talks about his parents and what the small town of Lepanto, Arkansas was like while he was growing up; he came from an agricultural community that was predominately white and adhered to segregation practices; in 1948, his parents opened a grocery store; they had an agreement with people bringing braceros into town and would open the store at whatever time the men were transferred; each bracero received $5.00 to buy groceries; sometimes, they would get into small groups of five to make their money stretch further; Bernard’s parents even gave the men sandwiches and a drink to ensure they would keep returning; their supplies were delivered to the camp sites; oftentimes, they went into town on Saturdays, after getting paid; even so, interactions were kept separate, and they only socialized among themselves; in addition, they were only there for three months, and as a result no one knew them; Bernard speculates that some of the men surely disappeared for speaking to the wrong person or saying the wrong thing, and no one ever noticed; even so, during the fifties, eighty percent of their business came from braceros; they inevitably changed the entire economy of the town; store owners became more market conscious and adapted their products to their consumers; they began selling boots, jeans, radios and luggage; Bernard even mentions that part of the family store was converted into a small department store, and they even sold jewelry; all the stores in town began expanding so much that as mechanization took over and the braceros stopped going, they lost too much money; his parents’ store eventually closed in 1963.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Bernardino Vilchis was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, México; he grew up in a middle class family, and later worked as an electrician; he joined the bracero program in 1943, and worked in Arizona as a railroad line laborer. Summary of Interview: Mr. Vilchis recalls growing up in Cuernavaca, Morelos, México; he states that his family was part of the middle class in México, and he was trained to be an electrician; additionally, he remembers joining the bracero program to prove to himself that he could do hard physical labor; he worked in Arizona as a railroad line laborer from 1943 to 1948; he relates the bad impression he initially had of the program because of the train ride he was forced to endure to Querétero, Querétero, México in a dirty cattle car; furthermore, he describes the hiring process there, the contract he signed, and his arrival at the bracero camp; he details what daily activities they did, the horrible food they ate, the housing they had and the work they did; moreover, he explains how he learned English, and became the interpreter for braceros when they went into town; he also helped illiterate braceros write letters; beyond these memories, he discusses the good treatment they received from foremen, the wages they made, and the difficulty of working in extreme weather; he also reflects on the way many promises made to them were broken, and how the Mexican government defrauded them of their savings; he explains why he decided to return to México, and how he has mixed feelings about the program.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Bernardo Treviño on September 2, 1936, in Saltillo, Coahuila, México; he grew up in a family of farm workers; at an early age, he worked in the fields with his family; he worked as a bracero until 1964 in Michigan and Texas; there, he picked cotton and cut cucumbers. Summary of Interview: Mr. Treviño recalls his childhood in Saltillo, Coahuila, México, and his work as a child on the farm; he remembers going through the hiring process in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, México, and signing his contract in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México; additionally, he describes his trip to the border, and being sprayed with pesticide at the United States-México border; he states that he worked as a bracero until 1964 in Michigan and Texas; there, he picked and irrigated cotton and cut cucumbers; furthermore, he details what his daily activities were like, and the good treatment he received in the United States; he relates that sometimes he spent his free time on the Mexican side of the border; moreover, he discusses how he wished he would get his bracero savings funds back, and that more attention needs to be given to the bracero cases; he concludes by stating that once the program was over he did not wish to return to the U.S.
Beyond barbed wire, an official armed with a rubber truncheon directs braceros while others wait in line at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
During peak seasons approximately 5,000 men passed through this camp daily. The first step for processing is for the men to have their name recorded on the main list. At the Processing Center in Monterrey, Mexico the men are kept in line by Mexican policemen. A policeman used a rubber truncheon as a symbol of authority and intimidation when directing the braceros. Officials claimed that they used the rubber truncheon only 'playfully' with braceros and many of them laughed at it. The group behind the barbed wire enclosure waits to be called up to present their credentials. Original Caption: The policeman used a rubber truncheon as an effective symbol of authority in directing the braceros to the processing line-up at the Migratory Station in Monterrey, Mexico. Approximately 5,000 men were put through this camp daily during peak periods. (A, #6)As the men line up initially to be put on the list at the Control Station in Monterrey, Mex, they are kept in line by mexican policemen. The rubber truncheon he has in his hand is used only 'playfully' on the men, and many of them laugh at it. The groups behind the barbed wire enclosure are waiting to be called up to present their credentials. (B, #10)
The Leonard Nadel Collection, NMAH. Catalogue #: 2004.0138.01.04; Negative #: NAD-2004.0138.01.04; Roll #: 1
National Museum of American History, Division of Work and Industry
Restricted: no; Contact: NMAH Rights & Reproductions by email before distribution - rightsreproductions@si.edu
Print NAD-2004.0138.57.16. See Nadel Captions A, #6/ B, # 10. See also Nadel Footnotes, 1.
Beyond railroad tracks, a large group of braceros waits to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
A crowd of braceros stand beyond the railroad tracks and wait for processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico. They come by train from the Monterrey Station in the city of Monterrey. Some of them also walk the way to the Processing Center, which is located 3 miles south of the city of Monterrey, Mexico. They will be processed to become a farm worker in the United States. Everyday not less than 500 braceros are processed at this place.
The Leonard Nadel Collection, NMAH. Catalogue #: 2004.0138.01.44; Negative #: NAD-2004.0138.01.44; Roll #: 1
Beyond railroad tracks, braceros wait in a large group for processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
A crowd of braceros stand beyond the railroad tracks and wait for processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico. They come by train from the Monterrey Station in the city of Monterrey. Some of them also walk the way to the Processing Center, which is located 3 miles south of the city of Monterrey, Mexico. They will be processed to become farm workers in the United States. No less than 500 braceros are processed at this center each day.
The Leonard Nadel Collection, NMAH. Catalogue #: 2004.0138.01.01; Negative #: NAD-2004.0138.01.01; Roll #: 1
Bilingual phrase book or language guide. English for braceros and domestic employee's. Spanish for farmers and home makers.
Interior of phrase book with dedication and instruction book. Created by Sra. Amelia Montes Skaggs.
Interior of bilingual phrase book and language guide.