Items
Subject is exactly
Bracero Program
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Rafael Gonzalez with daughter Melinda
Black and white image of Rafael Gonzalez sitting on the lawn with his daughter Melinda on his lap in the early 1950s. Rafael Gonzalez apprenticed as a shoemaker in Mexico before coming to the United States as a Bracero in 1942. Gonzalez dreamed of returning home and establishing a business but was delayed during the war and was among a group of Braceros stranded in San Bernardino without a contract or transportation home. Later, Gonzales met Eunice Romero while working for her father, Jacinto Romero, at Fairbanks Ranch. -
Eunice and Rafael Gonzalez with grandaughter Bianca
Color image of Eunice and Rafael Gonzalez holding Bianca, their granddaughter, at their home on Ohio Street in the 1970s. Rafael Gonzalez apprenticed as a shoemaker in Mexico before coming to the United States as a Bracero in 1942. Gonzalez dreamed of returning home and establishing a business but was delayed during the war and was among a group of Braceros stranded in San Bernardino without a contract or transportation home. Later, Gonzales met Eunice Romero while working for her father, Jacinto Romero, at Fairbanks Ranch. -
Rafael Gonzalez, 1943
Rafael Gonzalez is pictured here at Cone Camp in 1943. Gonzalez was recruited from Mexico City as part of the United States - Mexico Bracero labor program during World War II. "Coney Camp" as it was known to the local Mexican population, was a former jail and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) training center located on the banks of the Santa Ana River in East Highlands. Converted to house Mexican laborers, the facility held up to 1,500 men at a time. Despite federal mandates for reasonable living conditions, wages, and medical care many braceros like those living in Cone Camp lived in wooden barracks and sometimes in tents where the men endured severe winter weather and extreme heat in the summer. The Bracero Program officially ended in 1964. -
Ernest "Jimmy" Medina Interview
Ernest "Jimmy" Medina discusses his life growing up in the Inland Empire. Additionally, he discussed his father's involvement in the bracero program and the citrus industry. -
Rafael Gonzalez with daughter Melinda
Black and white image of Rafael Gonzalez sitting on the lawn with his daughter Melinda on his lap in the early 1950s. Rafael Gonzalez apprenticed as a shoemaker in Mexico before coming to the United States as a Bracero in 1942. Gonzalez dreamed of returning home and establishing a business but was delayed during the war and was among a group of Braceros stranded in San Bernardino without a contract or transportation home. Later, Gonzales met Eunice Romero while working for her father, Jacinto Romero, at Fairbanks Ranch. -
Eunice and Rafael Gonzalez with grandaughter Bianca
Color image of Eunice and Rafael Gonzalez holding Bianca, their granddaughter, at their home on Ohio Street in the 1970s. Rafael Gonzalez apprenticed as a shoemaker in Mexico before coming to the United States as a Bracero in 1942. Gonzalez dreamed of returning home and establishing a business but was delayed during the war and was among a group of Braceros stranded in San Bernardino without a contract or transportation home. Later, Gonzales met Eunice Romero while working for her father, Jacinto Romero, at Fairbanks Ranch. -
Rafael Gonzalez, 1943
Rafael Gonzalez is pictured here at Cone Camp in 1943. Gonzalez was recruited from Mexico City as part of the United States - Mexico Bracero labor program during World War II. "Coney Camp" as it was known to the local Mexican population, was a former jail and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) training center located on the banks of the Santa Ana River in East Highlands. Converted to house Mexican laborers, the facility held up to 1,500 men at a time. Despite federal mandates for reasonable living conditions, wages, and medical care many braceros like those living in Cone Camp lived in wooden barracks and sometimes in tents where the men endured severe winter weather and extreme heat in the summer. The Bracero Program officially ended in 1964. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
Joe Howard Herrera Interview
1994 interview with Joe Howard Herrera on his citrus work, including the "girdling" process, his WWII drafting experience, experiencing segregation and discrimination, and how the Mayor of Redlands stood up against it. He lived most of his life in Redlands. -
Graziano Gomez Interview
1995 interview with Graziano Gomez as he speaks of his family migration, military service, and co-founding the American Legion 650 chapter with other Mexican American Veterans of WWII. -
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. -
Prudence "Lencha" Gonzales Interview
One of the earliest interviews conducted for this project was done on a rainy Valentine’s day in 1995 with Prudence Gonzales. Mrs. Gonzales or ‘Lencha’ as she was known to countless friends, neighbors, and relatives was a native of Redlands and at 92 the oldest woman interviewed for this project to date. Our conversation dealt mostly with her youth and early Redlands. A self-professed tomboy, Lencha worked with animals and frequently drove a wagon for her uncle’s manure business. Her observations on married life are also unique to this series. Born a generation earlier than most of the women interviewed for the project who generally worked outside of the home and reflect less on home life and personal relationships, her story is compelling for its depth and strength in these areas. Her keen memory, wit, and directness shine through in this far too short conversation. Mrs. Gonzales’ son Joe and daughter-in-law Irene were present during parts of a 90-minute interview conducted at their Webster Street home. Joe Gonzales was also interviewed the same day, his comments are included in a separate volume of this series. -
Eunice Romero Gonzales Interview
1994 interview with Eunice Romero Gonzales. Eunice details her early years growing up in the Redland's citrus ranching industry, and the changes that occurred after the War and the Bracero Program. Part B discusses Education in Redlands and Racial discrimination as well as Eunice's adult life employment. -
Robert (Bob) Garcia Interview
1995 interview with Bob Garcia on his upbringing, citrus and farm labor, and becoming a foreman. -
Andres & Reyna Garcia Tape 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. -
Andres & Reyna Garcia Tape 1
1997 Interview with Andres & Reyna Garcia. Andres Garcia discusses his experience working in Redlands California under the Bracero Program. He discusses discrimination as well as financial challenges under the Cone Camp employers. Claims to have been the first Bracero to become a foreman. -
Sam Coyazo Interview Remastered
1997 interview with Sam Coyazo. Sam speaks about his upbringing, the development of surrounding communities, his education and pleasures, his work as a packer and his military experience, and the process of "smudging" at citrus groves. -
Amado & Jose Casillas Interview (Spanish)
2000 interview with Amado & Jose Casillas. Mr. Amado Casillas and his son Jose Casillas who translate discuss coming to the US under the bracero program in 1956. Amado retells his experience in the program, the employee living conditions as well as social discrimination he faced. -
Simona (Sammy) Castillo Interview
1995 interview with Simona (Sammy) Castillo part 1. Reflects on her life and the life of her father who was one of the first Mexican workers in East Highland. For 66 years her dad worked at East Highland Ranch. He lived in Colton, her mother in Bryn Mawr before marrying. Parents arrived in the region c. 1884 from Mexico by way of El Paso. Sammy reflects on her childhood in East Highland followed by her graduation from the University of Redlands and her 42 years as a nurse which she cherished. The audio continues for two minutes after the transcript indicates the interview has ended. -
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. -
Blythe Story Share Reel 63
Pete Reyes, Maria Caldera, and Gilbert Carmouche share their stories about living in Blythe and particularly the Mexican history in the region. They are interviewed by Antonio Vasquez while Alfredo Figueroa prompts conversation. Reyes, Caldera, and Carmouche discuss the Bracero Program, Americanization Schools, Repatriation of the Brotherhood Club, Unions as well as family histories. Maria for instance recalls her early life in Blythe living in tents and her memories of what she calls the "Great Tamale Raid."