A People’s History of the Inland Empire Digital Archive

Items

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  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.
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  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.
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  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.
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  Aurelia Ruiz Reyes Interview

  1994 interview with Aurelia Reyes. Aurelia discusses her life growing up in Redlands, California, and how the city has since changed, including the topics of discrimination, education, citrus, and local businesses.
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  Gilbert Zamarripa Rey Interview

  1995 interview with Gilbert Zamarripa Rey. Gilbert discusses his early life in Redlands, California smudging and picking citrus. He also discusses his participation in World War II and his long career in the military.
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  Lupe R. Yglecias & Margaret Castro interview

  Interview Lupe R. Yglesias & Margaret Castro focusing on their childhood upbringing, the various types of labor their family were engaged with, and their educational progress and social mobility spanning across multiple generations.
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  Rafael Gonzales Interview

  1992 remastered interview with Rafael V. Gonzales, note: audio is of poor quality, the transcript contains many blanks due to this. Rafael Gonzales begins by discussing his work as a cobbler as well as his life growing up in Mexico City. In 1940 he immigrated to the U.S. first arriving first in Arizona and then in Montana where he worked as a bracero before picking oranges in Redlands. He discusses what it was like to work in the citrus industry and his decision to stay in the U.S. rather than return to Mexico.
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  Andres & Reyna Garcia Interview 2

  1997 Interview with Andres & Reyna Garcia. Mr. Andres Garcia accounts for living in the Labor housing and everyday life in Cone camp. He also discusses discrimination by the local police against National Mexicans and Braceros and labor organizing and strikes during the 60s.
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  2008 Calendar Page 14, Orange Pickers of Casa Blanca

  Photo of several Mexican orange pickers in a grove in the Casa Blanca neighborhood of Riverside, California in the early 1940s. They pose with a ladder and orange crate. The photo is courtesy of Semona Valero. The calendar text reads, "Orange pickers of the Casa Blanca area in the early 1940s. Photo courtesy of Semona Valero."
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  Orange Pickers of Casa Blanca

  This photo depicts several Hispanic orange pickers in a grove in the Casa Blanca neighborhood of Riverside, California in the early 1940s. The photo is courtesy of Semona Valero. Calendar text reads, "Orange pickers of the Casa Blanca area in the early 1940s. Photo courtesy of Semona Valero."
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  Edward Barbo Interview

  Interview with Edward Barbo, February 14, 1995. Speaks on his family arriving to Redlands, growing up in Redlands, and his military and aircraft mechanic experience.
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  Isabel "Al" Alva Interview

  1995 interview with Isabel "Al' Alva describing his life beginning with attending school in a segreagted "Latino" elementary and junior high school in Mt. Vernon, CA, his move to Redlands, CA, time spent in the citrus industry, and deploying to Korea during the Korean War after enlisting in the Air Force. Kaiser and Santa Fe railroad and Norton military base are also noted. Al's experience with Lincoln School in Redlands during the 1960's desegregation is addressed as well as his fight to launch Head Start, a community ran program designed to support low-income families and families of color. He describes Redlands "Anglo-Saxon" elites dissent of Head Start.
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  Sierra Vista Label

  The picture is a label from the Sierra Vista citrus plant in which much of the Venegas family, including Joe and Robert Venegas, worked for many years.
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  Robert and Joe Venegas

  Pictured are Joe Venegas (father) and Robert "Junie" Venegas (son). Robert was the eldest son of Joe Venegas and began working with him at the age of thirteen. Robert continued working in the groves until 1945 when he joined the army. The photograph's location is described to be a citrus grove located between Victoria Avenue and Nelson Street in Riverside, California.
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  Robert "Junie" Venegas

  Pictured is Robert "Junie" Venegas, the eldest son of the Venegas family, picking oranges in Moreno Valley. Behind him are several crates full of citrus fruit. Recounted in interviews by Manuel Venegas, workers, such as Robert "Junie," were paid by the crate.
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  John and Alice Castorena, Lee August Interview

  Married couple Alice and John Castorena retell their lives as Mexican American immigrants and describe their work, community, and social life in the citrus industry living in Rancho Sespe.
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  Raquel Aguirre Interview

  Raquel Aguirre describes her early life in Mexico and immigrating to the United States for work opportunities. With no family, she details meeting her husband and the nuances of working in a packinghouse from supervisors, and unions to her personal life aspirations.
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  Floyd Davis and Lee August

  Rancher Floyd Davis' account of rural life in the Inland Empire during the twentieth century working on and owning citrus farms while overseeing Latino workers and living on a small budget.
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  Carmelo Tepezano, Dr. Tobey, Lee August Interview

  Carmelo Tepezano describes his and his family's history in the Citrus industry working at Rancho Sespe. Discusses the Bracero Program, Japanese workers, his time in the army, and racial discrimination at Rancho Sespe.
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  Elanor Hanson, Pan, Whetheral, Olivera Interview

  Elanor Hansen describes growing up in Rancho Sespe as the daughter of the manager of the Ranch in the post-war era.
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  Raymond Karsten, Citrus Redevelopment

  The start of the interview is very unclear the conversation with the older individual is inaudible due to the wind. This issue is present from 00:02:00 till 00:03:48 when the video cuts to just scenery shots of the area. At 00:18:55 the video transitions to an antique and collectibles store that is going out of business the shop may have been known as “Junk-n-Stuff Antiques”. The store owner whose name isn’t mentioned explains where the location of the original highway was and she talks about how gradual its development has been. The interview shifts to a business owner of a fountain business that has been there for 25 years. He sees this new growth as something positive for the area and his business.
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  Epimenio Robles

  Epimenio Robles recounts his experience as a Mexican immigrant. He discusses his experience in the Bracero Program, struggles in labor, construction of the I-10 freeway, and discrimination in the citrus industry in Redlands, California.
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  The Loft: Redlands Elders Speak

  Interviewees discuss the Mexican experience in the Inland Empire from the 1930s to the 2000s as well as experience in working in the agricultural field and racial discrimination in the Inland Empire. Citrus agricultural fieldwork is discussed as well as the racial division further perpetuated by the construction of the I-10 freeway that further separated communities.
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  Bryn Mawr Interviews Nellie Rodriguez, Fred Ramos Part 1

  Bryn Mawr residents Nellie Rodriguez and Fred Ramos discuss life in Bryn Mawr. Nellie remembers moving in 1934 after working at a traveling circus, once settled she worked at the Mission Packinghouse. Fred Ramos recalls the effect of the WWII draft on the area.
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  Aniceto "Cheto" Gomez Interview

  Aniceto grew up around a Latino community in Redlands. Many of his friends from the neighborhood were Latinos and shared similar interests. Some of Aniceto’s memories describe, dances organized for the youth, local clubs, and sports events within Redlands. He explains how large groups of people would travel from Los Angeles, or other areas, to watch baseball games in Redlands. On the other hand, he also mentions how he faced discrimination in elementary school for not being able to speak English. He was not allowed to attend elementary school until he learned how to speak English. In addition, due to financial problems within his family, Aniceto had to leave high school at fifteen years old. He was also discriminated when he attempted to join the Navy. He explains that he joined the Army because the Navy did not accept Latinos. His experience in WWII was difficult. He was met with many challenges while at war. He remembers D-Day and the events of that day. He remembers the ocean turning red from all the blood. Aniceto almost lost his life on D-Day. He almost drowned in the ocean due to the heavy equipment he was carrying. He was also suffered an injury a few days later while he was keeping watch.