Interviewer
Myrna Parra-Mantilla
Project
Bracero Oral History
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee
Gonzalo Morales was born in Santa Bárbara, Chihuahua, México, in 1930; he helped his father work the fields of their hometown; his parents passed away when he was only seven years old; he and his six siblings went to live with an uncle; when he became a bracero, he was married and had three children; he worked in Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Summary of Interview
Mr. Morales briefly recounts his childhood; in 1954, he heard about the Bracero Program; due to financial difficulties, he decided to go to Chihuahua, Chihuahua México, to begin the hiring process; he recalls how the Mexican President, Lázaro Cárdenas, prohibited people on ejidos from being hired as braceros; only people from ranches were allowed to be braceros; while working as a bracero he was unaware that the Mexican government received 10¢ per bracero that was hired from the ranchers; while waiting in Rio Vista, a processing center in Socorro, Texas, the food the braceros were given was rotten; the water used for showers was often frozen during the winter months; when he worked in Lovington, New Mexico, he was the veterinarian for the ranch; in addition, he was a tractor driver and he helped prepare food for the cattle; this was his best working experience as a bracero.
Date of Interview
6-13-2003
Length of Interview
90 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 980
Transcript Number
No. 980
Length of Transcript
61 pages
Interview Number
No. 980
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with Gonzalo Morales by Myrna Parra-Mantilla, 2003, "Interview no. 980," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.
Comments
Interview in Spanish.