Bittersweet Harvest: Embracing the legacy of the braceros
A unique collaboration between the Smithsonian and the Mexican Heritage Corporation in San José, Calif., has expanded our knowledge of a piece of
American history, uncovered new artifacts for preservation in collections, and recorded the memories of a forgotten population. The Bracero History Project, an initiative started at the National Museum of American History, has grown to encompass universities, scholars and several Smithsonian Affiliates. “This project has morphed into the largest Spanish-language oral history project in the United States,” said Curator Peter Liebhold. “We now have more than 700 oral histories in the archives.”
Inspired by a collection of photographs acquired by NMAH in the 1990s, Liebhold and Associate Curator Steve Velasquez set out to record the stories of the braceros, Mexican guest workers who came to the United States to fill labor shortages in agriculture and railroads. In 1956, photographer Leonard Nadel recorded the daily lives of braceros in 1,730 images that form the basis of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service exhibition Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942 – 1964.
Many growers thought short-handled hoes made workers more careful and kept crops from being damaged. Workers despised the short-handled hoe because it forced them to stoop over to work. (Photo by Leonard Nadel)
“We wanted to reach a broad base of people,” said Liebhold. “We made a presentation at an Affiliations conference and connected with the staff of the Mexican Heritage Corporation. “They set up our first town hall meeting where we explained the importance of this history and why we were doing it.”
Mexican Heritage Corporation Director and Chief Executive Officer Marcela Aviles immediately wanted to become part of the project because San José had hosted a large group of braceros and today still has a strong agricultural community. She welcomed a meeting at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in 2005. “We connected with our colleagues in the community and got the word out. We encouraged people to bring in objects that are indicia of experiences as a bracero—a tool, a registration card, a hat. We even brought in the sister of Cesar Chavez and collected her oral history,” Aviles said.
Velasquez was amazed at the outpouring of interest. “When we arrived at the Affiliate, we saw a long line of people waiting for us. The number of interested people in the Plaza was overwhelming.” Liebhold explained that the project used the highest standard of oral history procedures, asking every participant the same series of questions, with the results transcribed and edited. The histories are accessible at the Bracero History Archive in both written and audio formats, paired with short synopses, bios, photographs and essays. Velasquez listened to hundreds of the tapes, selecting quotes to pair with the Nadel photographs.
The braceros’ contributions to communities in Mexico and the United States have had a lasting impact on the political, economic, social and cultural landscapes of both nations. (Photo by Leonard Nadel)
These oral histories became an integral part of the exhibition,which opened in February at the Mexican Heritage Plaza site, where the Corporation is a Residents Arts Partner.“We brought the photos to life by using the voices of the braceros to describe their experiences. Their voice really drives the show,” said Liebhold. “The curatorial voice is minimal; instead the voice of the participants tells the story.” While the traveling exhibition is constructed from simple vinyl panels, every venue is encouraged to augment it with their own objects and artifacts. “We went into the collections of the historical society in San José and looked for objects that replicated what we saw in the photos. We found a 1920s bed and a camp stove; we even created a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe,” said Aviles. “The photos are the keys to creating the story. By finding meaning in the curatorial narrative, interaction with the community, and the collected objects, we created a beautiful tapestry.”
Other Affiliate venues include The Museo Alameda in San Antonio, Texas, which will host from May 2010 to August 2010, and the Sonoma County Museum in Santa Rosa, California, which will host the exhibition from November 2010 to January 2011. Liebhold and Velasquez describe the project and resulting exhibition as a “true collaboration” and as an “intergenerational project” that started small and had a life of its own.
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Posted: 8 June 2010
