Interviewer
Fernanda Carrillo
Project
Bracero Oral History
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee
Fernando Rodríguez was born in El Paso, Texas, on January 22, 1937; upon graduating from high school in 1954, he went into the United States Navy; when he left the Navy in 1959, he began working as a clerk and typist for Rio Vista, a processing center for braceros in Socorro, Texas.
Summary of Interview
Mr. Rodríguez recalls that as a teenager, he worked at a grocery store near a ranch that employed braceros; because the braceros were not allowed to leave the ranch, he would often go and collect a list of groceries from them in order to bring them what they needed; later, in 1954, when he graduated from high school, he went into the Navy; when his tour of duty was over in 1959, he began working as a clerk and typist for Rio Vista, a processing center for the Bracero Program in Socorro, Texas; his work there was temporary and coincided with the cotton seasons in 1959 and 1960; he describes the facilities and the various procedures that braceros went through while at the center and what his various responsibilities entailed; in addition, he mentions several interesting anecdotes about his different experiences with braceros.
Date of Interview
3-5-2003
Length of Interview
40 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 1138
Transcript Number
No. 1138
Length of Transcript
20 pages
Interview Number
No. 1138
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with Fernando Rodríguez by Fernanda Carrillo, 2003, "Interview no. 1138," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.
Comments
Interview in Spanish.