Interviewer
Myrna Parra-Mantilla
Project
Bracero Oral History
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee
Mr. XX was born in Jerez, Zacatecas, México, in 1930; he received a formal education through middle school; in 1951, the Bracero Program was very popular in his home state of Zacatecas, which is why, at the age of twenty, he decided to become a bracero; he worked in the program for eight years in Pecos, Texas.
Summary of Interview
Mr. XX was hired as a bracero at a recruiting center in Zacatecas, México; he recalls that there were also other recruitment centers in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Aguascalientes in México; there were two types of braceros, specialized and common; the specialized braceros were hired for eighteen months and received higher salaries; the common braceros were hired for only three months at a time; he worked as a specialized bracero weighing cotton; his job was to make sure that the cotton was not mixed with rocks, wood, or any other objects that would make the cotton weigh more; because the braceros were paid per pound of cotton that they picked, this was a major concern; he also recalls that in order for grocery stores to gain and keep braceros as clients, they would go out to the farms to pick up grocery lists; the groceries would then be delivered to the braceros.
Date of Interview
4-8-2003
Length of Interview
54 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 1119
Transcript Number
No. 1119
Length of Transcript
27 pages
Interview Number
No. 1119
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with Anónimo por petición by Myrna Parra-Mantilla, 2003, "Interview no. 1119," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.
Comments
Interview in Spanish.