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Citrus
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Antonio Nava Interview
Antonio Nava discusses early life in Rancho Sespe, living in the village, education, family life, and community life on the ranch. -
Mirella Munoz and IE Citrus: From Mexico City to Riverside, CA
1990 Mirella Munoz's interview discusses her early life in Mexico City, reared by her grandmother, and her immigration to the United States after what she describes as a very hard childhood. Mirella ultimately settled In Riverside California working as a sorter in the National Orange Company packinghouse. Mirella details work dynamics, packinghouse supervisors, unions, and education. -
Robert Renfro Interview Tape #1
Interview with Robert Renfro, manager of National Orange Co. discusses his family and life at King Ranch in Luverne and labor in the citrus industry. -
Redlands Packing Crew
Black and white photograph of a group of six men in a truck bound for citrus picking circa 1938. Pictured is Joe Hernandez standing center on the truck along with Ismael "Smiley" Tejada (Standing on the truck's running board). -
2012 Calendar Page 24, December
The first RCMAHS calendar page for December 2012 is black and white, and "December" is written in English and Spanish at the bottom and the year on put on either side. Most of the page is a dedication to Tony Lopez and his life written by Linda Salinas-Thompson in September 2011. The text states: Tony Lopez was born in Penjamo, Mexico. He came to the United States when he was a young boy. Tony attended Lincoln and Irving Elementary Schools and went on to the 11th grade. He went on to work in the fields doing migrant farm labor work. Living in Riverside, he attended Saint Francis de Assisi Catholic Church, where he met Sarah Vasquez. They married in 1939 and were the proud parents of six children, Theresa, Anthony, Ramona, David, Monsignor Gerard Lopez, and the daughter they lost Patricia. Tony worked at Camp Hanna and went to wood shop classes during WWII. Tony retired as an engineer from building and producing machinery for the packing houses of the citrus industry. Tony coached baseball teams for many years, people still remember him for those giving days. He and Sarah have been married for over 70 years and stay very active with Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine Catholic Church. The left image are Tony Lopez and their wife Sarah Vasquez posing with a child, and the middle image is a later image of Lopez and his wife, the right picture is Lopez on his wedding day. -
2012 Calendar Page 16, August
The black and white RCMAHS first calendar page for August 2021, is written in both English and Spanish on the bottom center with the year written on either side. Background of an open travel notebook with a dedication to Virginia Rodriguez Solorio. Text states "Virginia was the second eldest daughter of ten siblings to Zeferino and Guadalupe Rodriguez. Born and raised in the Casa Blanca neighborhood, she attended Chernawa Middle School. She became an orange packer with Victoria, Arlington, and Royal Citrus Packing Companies, where she worked for over 80 years. She married John Duarte Solorio, a WWII Veteran. They had two children, Evangeline and Lillian, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Virginia received letters of recognition for being an outstanding citizen in the community of Casa Blanca. She lived her life humbly and simply, enjoying her family and neighbors. Her fondest memories were of attending dances at St. Anthony's Church, where all the community would father and have a great time. Beverly Arias September 2011." On the left is a travel bag with her name and an image of Solorio standing in a wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers. The right page has an image of Solorio sitting in the front of a car and a dedication to her life written by Beverly Arias in September 2011. -
Citrus Worker
A man in farmer's overalls stands next to a young citrus tree. -
Simona Valero Interview
Simona Valero has been part of the Casa Blanca Community for decades since she was a little girl until much later into her life. She lived in Casa Blanca with her parents and family member during the boom of citrus in Southern California. She and her husband John met as a result of the bracero program that allowed John to come and work in the United States. She dedicated much of her life to the development of much of Casa Blanca’s culture and social programs. Not only was she part of Casa Blanca’s development but she also experienced many of the effects of citrus work during that time like many of Casa Blanca. Simona discusses the various cultures, religions, and people that were apart of Casa Blanca since her time as part of the community. Simona also provides various anecdotes of family events and experiences that made her who she is to this day. -
Dallas Holmes Interview
Dallas Holmes is interviewed about the transition from citrus groves to the large housing developments in Riverside, California. He speaks about the local politics and fiscal greed that ultimately shifted Riverside from the agricultural sector/area to a more industrial, service, and suburban area. He is also proud that he was able to salvage some of the citrus groves from Riverside's past. -
Gary Lemos and Lupe Perez Interview
The interviewee goes into great depth and detail describing the nature of mid-twentieth-century American citrus industry practices and culture in Southern California among primarily Mexican immigrant communities (Filipinos are occasionally mentioned). He describes what it meant to be a child laborer (termed ratas) experiencing discrimination, and political impacts on the citrus industry over time. There is also an emphasis on resilience and making the best out of less than optimal situations, such as remaining steadfast in obtaining an education while simultaneously facing the ongoing threat of deportation. -
Rose Ramos Interview
1994 interview with Rose Ramos. Rose discussed her life growing up in East Highland and her participation in community efforts to improve Redlands. Additionally, she discusses her and her grandparents' participation in the citrus industry. -
Angelina Cosme and Margaret Castro Interview
2000 interview with Angelina Cosme and Margaret Castro begins with their earliest memories of Redlands in what they call "the Barrio Judio" on Harold Street because "it belonged to some Jews, Jewish people." They both discuss their family's histories and particularly immigration to the U.S. Both Cosme and Castro attended Lugonia school and St Mary's church and have vivid memories of the Great Depression and World War II in Redlands. Both worked at citrus packinghouses and recall the work as well as the pay, Castro explains that due to her asthma she had to stop packing. They discuss the photographs they brought and the different people in them. -
Alfred Armendarez Interview
2000 interview with Alfred Armendarez in which he discusses his early life, including his earliest memory: the 1930s fire at Elephant Orchard Packing House. Armendarez discusses both citrus picking and packing in Redlands as well as his family's experience picking grapes in August. As Armendarez recalls life growing up in Redlands he briefly mentions Lincoln School, Redlands High School, Sylvan Plunge, and the House of Neighborly Service. Armendarez was drafted right out of high school and recalls his experience in the Navy and the transition into civilan life in which he went back to agricultural work for a brief time before working at Universal Rundle until they closed in 1982. Armendarez shares his songbook with old songs dating back to the 1940s and discusses some of the organizations he was involved in such as LULAC and the Menudo Club. -
L.V.W. Brown Estate "Mahala" Label
Pictured is a label marked with "Mahala" from the L.V.W. Brown Estate citrus grove site in Riverside, California. The Venegas family -- Joe Venegas and his sons -- worked at this location together picking oranges. -
Braceros at L.V.W. Brown Estate
Photograph of braceros from the citrus industry working at the L.V.W. Brown Estate in Riverside, California. Pictured on the bottom left: Joe Venegas and Joe Venegas, Jr. During his time at L.V.W. Brown Estate, Joe Venegas gained a good reputation for being reliable, responsible, and a hard worker, furthering him to his promotion to foreman. He then continued to work in the citrus industry for fifty years. -
Steve Solis Interview, Tape 2
Interviewee Steve Solis discusses hardships and day-to-day routine working in the orange packing industry. -
Robert Renfro Interview Tape #2
A discussion of citrus auctions and the pricing of citrus in New York as well as its packaging during the mid-to-late twentieth century. -
Steve Solis interview, Tape 1
Steve Solis discusses his family history in Riverside as well as working as a house manager in the National Orange Company Packing House and what his position encompasses. -
Manuel Jacques checking irrigation pipes
Mary Garcia's father, Manuel Jacques, stands in a trench in the orange groves as he check the concrete pipes which brought water to the orange groves. Concrete conduit, standpipes, and other products were essential to the citrus industry in the days before plastic pipes. -
Manuel Jacques at Cement Manufacturing Plant
Mary Garcia's father, Manuel Jacques, is pictured here at a concrete manufacturing plant on Colton Avenue in Redlands on December 18, 1939. Manuel is pictured with two other men as they lean against some cement pipes. Concrete conduit, standpipes, and other products were essential to the citrus industry in the days before plastic pipes. -
Visions and Versions Exhibit Display
Display of the May 2000, Visions and Versions exhibition at the A.K. Smiley Public Library. Inside the case is citrus picking equipment including a helmet, gloves, clippers and bag. -
Henry and Maria Bermudez
Black and white photo of Henry and Maria Bermudez. They both were important members of the Riverside citrus business. -
Richard Rubio Interview
Richard Rubio discusses his family history and upbringing; his grandparents were displaced by the Mexican Revolution and fled to the United States. From there, they became involved with the citrus industry from a more administrative level, given their upper-class Mexican background and coinciding education. He discusses numerous odd-end jobs his family pursued throughout mainly California, while occasionally touching upon the controversial politics surrounding the Bracero Program of the 1930s. Rubio's interview provides a good description of the Bracero camp amenities, rules, varying conditions or camps around California, and the apparel of those arriving at the camp. -
Eunice Lisberg, Helen Armstrong and Thelma King Interview
Helen Armstrong, Eunice Lisberg and Thelma King discuss their lives in Riverside and Monrovia. This interview mainly focuses on the economic disparities faced by the black community. They recount their experiences growing up in segregated schooling in Southern California, as well as how her family survived the great depression. Lastly, debates revolving around the origins of citrus emerge in which the region's history comes into dispute. -
Manuel Reynosa Interview
1997 interview with road layer Manuel Reynosa and his wife Patricia Reynosa. The interview begins with a discussion of Reynosa's family history including immigration from Silao in Guanajuato and building a home in Colton, CA. The Reynosas discuss Manuel's stepfather, Elvenjez Nuñez's work selling fertilizer and magazines from Mexico for extra money, working in agriculture with citrus and walnuts, and working on the canals in Riverside. During the depression, Manuel's first job was picking mustard plants out of the alfalfa fields in Cooley Ranch for 25 cents a day, then putting fertilizer on orange groves, irrigating and picking oranges in Highgrove, Agua Mansa, and Bryn Mawr. After WWII Manuel worked laying roads in San Bernardino and at a winery in Colton, construction, and irrigating for Western Fruit Growers. Patricia Reynosa discusses some of the local organizations they were involved in including the Progrestista and the Feminil which started in 1970 and was still in existence at the time of the interview. Patricia also discusses her work at Norton Airforce Base. At the conclusion of the interview, they discuss the 1938 flood and other floods in the region.