Interviewee

Santa María Madera

Interviewer

José Tlaxhuapan

Project

Bracero Oral History

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee

Santa María Madera was born October 22, 1933, in Huejuquilla el Alto, Jalisco, México; he had three sisters and one brother, and his father worked as a merchant; when he was ten years old, he began helping a man in the neighborhood make rock walls; in 1956, when he was twenty-two years old, he enlisted in the bracero program; as a bracero, he worked in the fields of California, planting, cleaning, pruning, dusting, cutting, picking and packing various crops; after his last contract in 1960, he obtained a visa and permanently settled in the United States.

Summary of Interview

Mr. Madera recalls learning about the bracero program and how two hundred men were chosen from his town to enlist in Empalme, Sonora, México; in 1956, when he was twenty-two years old, he and his brother-in-law traveled to Guadalajara, Jalisco, México before finally arriving in Empalme; he describes the requirements and process he underwent, including medical exams; from there he was transported to Mexicali, Baja California, México by train; upon crossing into the United States, he was treated badly and subjected to further assessments and delousing procedures; moreover, he spent the night at a large barracks in Calexico, California before being sent to his worksite; as a bracero, he worked in the fields of California, planting, cleaning, pruning, dusting, cutting, picking and packing various crops; he goes on to detail housing, accommodations, living conditions, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, deductions, remittances, contract lengths and renewals and recreational activities, including trips into town; moreover, he talks about the difficulties he faced with regard to his small size and work duties; in particular, he explains strapping a machine to his back in order to dust crops and not being tall enough to reach certain crops; as a result, the chemicals landed on him despite the goggles and mask he used; he also explains renewing his contracts in Tijuana, Baja California, México; after his last contract in 1960, his boss helped him obtain a visa, which led to him permanently settling in the United States.

Date of Interview

11-18-2008

Length of Interview

91 minutes

Tape Number

No. 1414

Transcript Number

No. 1414

Length of Transcript

34 pages

Transcriber

GMR Transcription Service

Interview Number

No. 1414

Terms of Use

Unrestricted

Comments

Transcript is a Draft copy

Interview is in Spanish

Included in

Oral History Commons

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