Interviewer
Myrna Parra-Mantilla
Project
Bracero Oral History
Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee
José Parra was born in Sahuarichi, Chihuahua, México, in 1949; he and his father worked together in the fields for seven years; in 1949, he was hired as a bracero; he worked in the cotton fields of New Mexico and Texas; his last year as a bracero was in 1956.
Summary of Interview
Mr. Parra learned of the Bracero Program from an Immigration official while he was working illegally in Texas; the first time he was hired as a bracero, he was sent to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, but then he had to return to Chihuahua, México, in order to renew his work contract after that; he recalls that there were centers strategically placed near towns where there were ranches so that the braceros could quickly be sent to the ranches where they would work; the main difference for him between working as a bracero and working illegally was the freedom he enjoyed to go wherever he pleased as a bracero; even so, he and other braceros suffered from racism; they were viewed by some Americans as foreigners who stole their jobs.
Date of Interview
5-10-2003
Length of Interview
34 minutes
Listen to the Interview
Tape Number
No. 984
Transcript Number
No. 984
Length of Transcript
17 pages
Interview Number
No. 984
Terms of Use
Unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Interview with José Parra by Myrna Parra-Mantilla, 2003, "Interview no. 984," Institute of Oral History, University of Texas at El Paso.
Comments
Interview in Spanish.