Braceros, walking from the Mexican town of Monterrey to the processing center three miles away, pass the grave of a fallen compatriot.
On their long dusty trek toward a recruiting center at Monterrey, braceros approach the cross-topped grave of one of their number who died along the way. Original Caption: The Control Station to which the prospective farm laborers report for processing is located at the Mexican Army Garrison 3 miles out of Monterrey, Mexico. The men generally walk the 3 miles very early in the morning along the railroad tracks that lead to the camp. In the foreground of the photograph is a rocky grave of someone who died along the way. The marble marker behind it commemorates the meeting of Pres. F. D. Roosevelt and Pres. Aleman of Mexico at this point. (B, #7)On their long, dusty trek towards a recruiting center in Monterrey, braceros approach the cross-topped grave of one of their number who died along the way. The white monument marks the site of a meeting of President Roosevelt and Mexico's President Camacho. (Jubilee: A Magazine of the Church and Her People, April, 1957, "A National Scandal")
The Leonard Nadel Collection, NMAH. Catalogue #: 2004.0138.10.34; Negative #: NAD-2004.0138.10.34; Roll #: 10
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-2004.0138.57.08. See Nadel Captions A, #5. See Nadel Footnotes, 3.
Bríjido Zaragoza Solís was born October 8, 1925, in Hidalgo, México; his parents were field workers, and he had five siblings; although he was never formally educated, his father taught him how to work in the fields and care for animals; in 1955, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California until 1964; he had three children with his first wife in México; later, he immigrated to the United States where he remarried and had three more children; he ultimately became a citizen. Summary of Interview: Mr. Zaragoza talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; in 1955, he was living in Poza Rica [de Hidalgo], Veracruz, México, when he decided to enlist in the bracero program; at the time, he was working on an ejido, but he was not earning enough to make a living; he went to Mexicali, Baja California, México to begin the contracting process; upon crossing into the United States he was medically examined and fumigated; on some occasions, he was able to obtain a specialized workers contract, as a palmero, or date picker, which allowed him to go through the entire contracting process much more quickly; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of Arizona and California until 1964; he goes on to detail the various worksites, camp sizes, housing, accommodations, amenities, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, working relationships, payments, remittances and recreational activities, including trips into town; his longest and best contract was in Coachella, California, as a palmero; during his time as a bracero, he learned to read and write in order to send letters home; he also explains that he earned very little money when he started, but by the end of his last contract, he was earning $1.25 an hour; he had three children with his first wife in México; later, he immigrated to the United States where he remarried and had three more children; he ultimately became a citizen; overall, he has positive memories of the program and is proud to have been a bracero.
Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso
Burial Certificate of Jose Guadalupe Santacruz Rangel in Mexicali, Baja California
Burial Certificate for Jose Guadalupe Santacruz Rangel in Mexicali, Baja California.
Burial certificate (back) for Jose Guadalupe Santacruz Rangel
Burial certificate (backside) for Jose Guadalupe Santacruz Rangel stamped March 9, 1993.
Buses used to transport braceros stand outside the living quarters of a Californian camp.
The Leonard Nadel Collection, NMAH. Catalogue #: 2004.0138.25.18; Negative #: NAD-2004.0138.25.18; Roll #: 25
The Leonard Nadel Collection, NMAH. Catalogue #: 2004.0138.25.19; Negative #: NAD-2004.0138.25.19; Roll #: 25
C&R Provisions in 1949, behind Rochin grocery store (left side of pic) & Rochin restaurant on right side of pic.
C&R Provisions in 1949, behind Rochin grocery store (left side of pic) & Rochin restaurant on right side of pic.Refugin
Card counting picked cartons for Liborio Santiago Perez
Card counting picked cartons for Liborio Santiago Perez. Total 100 picked.
Card of recognition and MICA for Alberto Montes Gonzalez.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Carlos Corella was born on October 2, 1933, in Clint, Texas, where he grew up; he graduated from high school and was drafted into the Army; he served from 1953 to 1955; after being discharged, he went to work for the United States Department of Labor, at Rio Vista, a processing center for braceros in Socorro, Texas. Summary of Interview: Mr. Corella briefly recalls his time in the Army and the various places he traveled; upon being discharged in 1955, he went to work for the United States Department of Labor, at Rio Vista, a processing center for braceros in Socorro, Texas; while there, he was put in charge of escorting the braceros through immigration on both sides of the border; he remembers a particular form for the braceros called a 414, which they needed to have when going through immigration; it included their name, address, height, weight, and a brief physical description; the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Immigration, and U.S. Public Health were the three governmental agencies present at the reception center; he describes their first order of business, which was to disinfect or delouse the braceros, and he goes on to explain what each agency was responsible for; later, he became part of the on-site crew at the reception center; he worked for a total of three years at Rio Vista; to the best of his knowledge, the Bracero Program began sometime in 1949 or 1950 and one of the original reception centers was at the El Paso County Coliseum; it was not until two or three years later that the reception/processing center was moved to Rio Vista.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Carlos Rosario was born on September 11, 1928, in Mazatepec, Morelos, México; he was the youngest of three brothers; his father was a sacristan at their local church; he worked sowing rice and driving herds from an early age; in 1955, he joined the bracero program; he worked in California and Texas picking cotton, grapefruits, green beans, lemons, oranges, and strawberries. Summary of Interview: Mr. Rosario recalls growing up Mazatepec, Morelos, México in a catholic household; he remembers sowing rice and driving herds from an early age; in 1955; he joined the Bracero Program; he describes how the hiring process was conducted, how he had to pay bribes to be placed on the selection list, and the long train trip he took to the contracting center at Empalme, Sonora, México; additionally, he states that he worked in California and Texas picking cotton, grapefruits, green beans, lemons, oranges, and strawberries; furthermore, he details daily activities on the farms, the housing braceros had, the food they prepared, the curfews they were given, and the treatment they received from foremen; he explains the different kinds of contracts they had, what they had to do when their contract expired, and how the rehiring process was done; moreover, he states what braceros did during weekends, and how they celebrated Mexican holidays; he also recounts what visits from representatives of the Mexican consulate were like; to conclude, he presents what he did after the program was terminated, how his life changed after being a bracero, and his positive memories of that time.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Carlos Sánchez Montoya was born on September 11, 1918, in Gómez Palacio, Durango, México; his family moved to Guadalupe Victoria, Durango, which is where he grew up; later as a teenager, his family moved to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua; while living in Juárez, he began working in construction; he later worked as a bracero in New Mexico and Colorado from 1945 to 1963. Summary of Interview: Mr. Sánchez recalls his childhood and early adolescence; he began helping his father work in the fields when he was fourteen years old; a severe draught at that time caused his family to move from Guadalupe Victoria, Durango, México, to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua; while there, he began working in construction; he explains how he learned of the bracero program and the hiring process he went through at the contracting center in Chihuahua, Chihuahua; from there, he was taken to Rio Vista, a processing center in Socorro, Texas, where he was medically examined; he describes what the living conditions on the farms were like, the kinds of food they cooked, what their hobbies were, and what they did on weekends and during their spare time; his work duties included picking cotton and lettuce, irrigating cotton fields, and cleaning sugar beet fields in New Mexico and Colorado; he also explains the different wages he earned and how he was able to extend his contract without having to leave the country; in addition, he concludes that the bracero program is what enabled him to obtain legal residency in the United States and ultimately citizenship.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Carlos Villagomes was born on November 18, 1932, in Uriangato, Guanajuato; he is the eldest of his five siblings; while going to school, he helped his father work the land, and as a result received very little formal education; his uncles served in the bracero program, and he wanted to follow in their footsteps in the hopes of financially helping his family; he worked off and on with the program from 1952 to 1955; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, Michigan, Texas, and Wyoming, picking beets, cotton, cucumbers, lemons, and lettuce; in 1962, with the help of his brother, he was able to emigrate to the United States. Summary of Interview: Mr. Villagomes briefly describes his family, childhood, and adolescence; he becomes emotional and cries upon recalling his decision to become a bracero in the hopes of financially helping his family; initially, he went through the contracting center in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, to enlist as a bracero; he goes on to explain the requirements, general exams, including immunizations and delousing procedures, and the overall process he underwent at the various centers he went through; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, Michigan, Texas, and Wyoming, picking beets, cotton, cucumbers, lemons, and lettuce; he details the different worksites, duties, payment, deductions, treatment, contract renewals, living conditions, provisions, remittances, recreational activities, and relationships; in addition, he mentions having to carry his mica card or contract with him wherever he went; he also describes how the foremen were often very hard on all the workers; there was one instance in which he volunteered to help in Oxnard, California, after a huge fire, and he was paid very well for his work; in 1962, with the help of his brother, he was able to emigrate to the United States; overall, his memories of the program are positive, and he considers it a great satisfaction and privilege to have worked in the U.S. as a bracero.
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Carol Norquest Jr. was born on November 27, 1934, in Edinburg, Texas; her father owned about 100 acres of farm land, and the primary crop was cotton; as a child she helped work the land, and later as an adult, she ran the farm; in the late 1940s and all through the 1950s, her father hired braceros to help with the crops. Summary of Interview: Ms. Norquest recalls growing up as a child on her father’s farm; her family owned 100 acres of land, and they rented another 200 acres; their primary crop was cotton, but they also had carrots, citrus, corn, grain, and tomatoes; she and her siblings would help during the harvest by picking and weighing cotton; in the late 1940s and all through the 1950s, her father hired braceros to help with the crops; there was an average of five to ten workers that stayed on year round, and more during the harvesting season; her father hired a number of skilled laborers, such as irrigators and tractor drivers, on a permanent basis, and a few of them later became United States citizens; she mentions that her father had to abide by strict government standards with regard to housing, pay, and medical insurance; some of the braceros preferred going to doctors in México, and her father would drive them across the border if necessary; he would also give workers bonuses at the end of a season as an incentive for them to come back and work for him; she recalls one instance when her father did not have enough money to pay everyone the minimum wage, but the they agreed to work for him anyway; one worker reported him to government officials, but he was shunned by the bracero community for having made such a statement; she goes on to recall other specific incidents with braceros as well; overall, her family developed great relationships with the braceros, and a number of them stayed in touch with the family long after they stopped working together.
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 stating that he has been very happy in the United States, and he is greatly indebted to this country.