Interviewer
Laureano Martinez
Project
Bracero Oral History
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee
Lorenzo Maynes was born on August 10, 1924, in Clint, Texas; he grew up on a ranch where his father was the foreman, and he consequently learned the agricultural trade from his father; eventually, he himself became a foreman, and he was often put in charge of hiring braceros as workers.
Summary of Interview
Mr. Maynes recalls his childhood and early adolescence; he briefly describes what life was like for him during World War II; eventually, he became the head foreman on a farm whose primary focus was cotton; he was periodically sent to Rio Vista, a processing center in Socorro, Texas, to pick up braceros and bring them back to the farm; oftentimes, he was responsible for hiring anywhere from 50 to 200 braceros; he explains what Rio Vista was like and how the farmers would choose which men to hire; in addition, he describes what the farm where they lived was like, what their daily activities were, and what they did for fun in their spare time; the farmers would often tell any of the workers who had not already done so to go to Rio Vista and officially register as braceros; he concludes that during World War II the Bracero Program was beneficial both agriculturally and economically; in his opinion, such a program would again be welcomed for agricultural purposes.
Date of Interview
2-10-2003
Length of Interview
96 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 1133
Transcript Number
No. 1133
Length of Transcript
56 pages
Interview Number
No. 1133
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with Lorenzo Maynes by Laureano Martinez, 2003, "Interview no. 1133," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.
Comments
Interview in Spanish.