Interviewee

Ramona Acosta

Interviewer

Alejandra Díaz

Project

Bracero Oral History

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee

Ramona Acosta was born on October 13, 1928, in Phoenix, Arizona; her parents migrated to the United States illegally, where they had three children, of which Ramona was the eldest; when she was roughly five years old, her father was deported, and as a result, they all moved to México, where the family continued to grow; eight years later, Ramona returned to the United States, and shortly thereafter she started working in the fields alongside braceros; consequently, some of her cousins were braceros as well.

Summary of Interview

Ms. Acosta vividly describes her family and childhood; when she was roughly five years old, her father was deported, and as a result, the family moved to México; eight years later, Ramona returned to the United States at the bidding of her maternal grandparents; shortly thereafter, she started working in order to help support her family, including her parents, who were still in México; she labored in the fields picking and packing a variety of fruits and vegetables; although she had several employers, she explains that braceros and locals worked side by side; they had the same types of jobs and received the same pay and treatment; she goes on to describe the braceros as diligent, respectful, and amicable; consequently, there were a number of women who also worked in the fields, and they completed all the same tasks as the men; she also talks about her three cousins, who were braceros, and how their employers helped them immigrate to the United States; moreover, she details spending time with the braceros on weekends in stores, at the drive-in movies, or just listening to music and talking; in addition, she also discusses an incident where a group of braceros were driving into town on a bus, and it crashed, resulting in a large number of men dying; it was difficult to gauge the reactions of other braceros and workers, because at the time, radio and television were not used as a means of mass communication; therefore, many of the men’s bodies remain unclaimed, and they were buried in unnamed tombs; she concludes by stating that the bracero program had a positive affect on the city, in general, and on the nation as a whole.

Date of Interview

1-9-2008

Length of Interview

58 minutes

Tape Number

No. 1327

Transcript Number

No. 1327

Length of Transcript

60 pages

Interview Number

No. 1327

Terms of Use

Unrestricted

Comments

Interview in Spanish.

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