Interviewee

Manuel Ortiz Orozco

Interviewer

Marina Kalashnikova

Project

Bracero Oral History

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee

Manuel Ortiz Orozco was born June 17, 1927, on a ranch in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México; he was the youngest of his five siblings; his father worked his own land planting beans, corn and wheat; by the time Manuel was seven years old, he was helping his father in the fields; Manuel’s older brothers enlisted in the bracero program, and in 1955, he also joined; as a bracero, he worked in Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning, irrigating and picking beets and cotton and caring for livestock; later, in 1969, he immigrated to the United States, and he ultimately became a citizen.

Summary of Interview

Mr. Ortiz briefly talks about his family and childhood; his older brothers enlisted in the bracero program, and in 1955, he also joined; he went through the contracting center in his hometown of Chihuahua, which he explains was called El Trocadero; if men did not have the proper documentation, they had to pay seventy-five pesos; the men were also examined by American doctors and asked questions about working the land; they were transported to El Paso, Texas in trains used to haul metal; consequently, upon arriving, they were all black and dirty; afterward, they were deloused, which he describes as being bathed in poison; they were not given time to clean or bathe before their photos were taken; the men were taken to their worksites in trailers used for cattle, which had seats and were actually comfortable; in spite of their suffering, Manuel recalls that they were happy, because they had work; as a bracero, he worked in Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas cleaning, pruning, irrigating and picking beets and cotton and caring for livestock; he goes on to detail the various worksites, housing, living conditions, accommodations, provisions, duties, routines, treatment, payments, remittances, contract lengths and renewals, friendships, correspondence and recreational activities, including trips into town; in addition, he relates several anecdotes about his experiences with the program until it ended in 1964; during his time as a bracero, he married and had two children; in 1969, he immigrated to the United States, and he ultimately became a citizen.

Date of Interview

1-7-2008

Length of Interview

75 minutes

Tape Number

No. 1363

Transcript Number

No. 1363

Length of Transcript

34 pages

Interview Number

No. 1363

Terms of Use

Unrestricted

Comments

Interview in Spanish.

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