Interviewee

Primitivo Bustamante

Interviewer

Myrna García

Project

Bracero Oral History

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee

Primitivo Bustamante was born on June 10, 1952, in Coahuila, México; he had four brothers and four sisters; his father worked as a bracero during the late fifties in California, New Mexico, and Texas; despite being encouraged by his father to attend school, he left after the sixth grade, because he didn’t like it; his father eventually returned to México where he continued working in agriculture; Primitivo immigrated to the United States in the seventies, and consequently, all his children were born there as well.

Summary of Interview

Mr. Bustamante discusses his family and childhood; during the late fifties, when he was about five or six years old, his father worked as a bracero in California, New Mexico, and Texas; as a young boy, he recalls his father explaining what it meant to be a bracero; despite being encouraged by his father to attend school, he left after the sixth grade, because he didn’t like it; he goes on to describe his father as a very hard working man who never let his family go without and who constantly set a good example for him; although his father could not read or write, he always found someone to read and write letters for him; he would also send money orders home via registered mail; with the money he sent, his wife was able to buy beds, tables, chairs, and other such furnishings for their home; when he returned to México, he would bring gifts for his children and stay for about three or four months before leaving to work again; on one occasion, his wife went with him to Texas and had a child while there, but she returned to México shortly thereafter; he eventually returned to México, where he continued working in agriculture; Primitivo immigrated to the United States during he seventies, and consequently, all his children were born there as well; he concludes by describing how proud he is of his father and his legacy of hard work.

Date of Interview

9-1-2005

Length of Interview

62 minutes

Tape Number

No. 1266

Transcript Number

No. 1266

Length of Transcript

27 pages

Transcriber

Alejandra Diaz

Interview Number

No. 1266

Terms of Use

Unrestricted

Comments

Interview in Spanish.

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