Salvador Velasco Patiño
Title
Salvador Velasco Patiño
Description
Salvador Velasco Patiño was born November 8, 1919, in Atengo, Jalisco, México; in 1935, his family moved to Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico due to financial difficulties with the family business; he initially came to the United States, in 1947, without documents, but roughly a month later, he acquired a bracero contract; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, picking and packing various crops and driving a tractor until 1960; during this time he married and began raising a family of five children, three girls and two boys; he later returned to the United States and ultimately became a citizen.
Summary of Interview: Mr. Velasco talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; he recalls that at first, people were afraid of getting sent off to war if they enlisted in the bracero program; Salvador initially came to the United States, in 1947, without documents; roughly a month later, he went to the Coachella Valley Farmer’s Association (CVFA) and acquired a bracero contract; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, picking and packing various crops and driving a tractor until 1960; he goes on to detail housing, accommodations, amenities, provisions, duties, routines, payments, remittances, treatment, friendships, contract lengths and renewals and recreational activities, including trips into town; his first contract was for three and a half months, but he ended up staying four years and four months; he also mentions the CVFA and how helpfully they were, particularly when renewing contracts; in 1951, he returned to México in order to obtain a new contract; he eventually went through centers in Guanajuato, Sonora, Querétaro and Baja California, México; moreover, he was also able to get specialized worker contracts as a tractor driver and palmero, or date picker; his largest weekly check was $77.00, but he had to work over one hundred hours; he also relates several other anecdotes about his experiences; during his time as a bracero, he married and began raising a family of five children, three girls and two boys; he later returned to the United States and ultimately became a citizen; overall, he has positive memories of the program.
Summary of Interview: Mr. Velasco talks about his family and what his life was like growing up; he recalls that at first, people were afraid of getting sent off to war if they enlisted in the bracero program; Salvador initially came to the United States, in 1947, without documents; roughly a month later, he went to the Coachella Valley Farmer’s Association (CVFA) and acquired a bracero contract; as a bracero, he labored in the fields of California, picking and packing various crops and driving a tractor until 1960; he goes on to detail housing, accommodations, amenities, provisions, duties, routines, payments, remittances, treatment, friendships, contract lengths and renewals and recreational activities, including trips into town; his first contract was for three and a half months, but he ended up staying four years and four months; he also mentions the CVFA and how helpfully they were, particularly when renewing contracts; in 1951, he returned to México in order to obtain a new contract; he eventually went through centers in Guanajuato, Sonora, Querétaro and Baja California, México; moreover, he was also able to get specialized worker contracts as a tractor driver and palmero, or date picker; his largest weekly check was $77.00, but he had to work over one hundred hours; he also relates several other anecdotes about his experiences; during his time as a bracero, he married and began raising a family of five children, three girls and two boys; he later returned to the United States and ultimately became a citizen; overall, he has positive memories of the program.
Creator
Cortez, Veronica
Velasco Patiño, Salvador
Subject
bracero
Contributor
Cristóbal Borges
Rights
Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
Language
spa
title (Spanish)
Salvador Velasco Patiño
contributor (Spanish)
Cristóbal A. Borges
Rights Holder
Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso
Online Submission
No
Interviewer
Cortez, Veronica
Interviewee
Velasco Patiño, Salvador
Location
Coachella, CA
Original Format
Mini disc
Duration
49 minutes
Bit Rate/Frequency
24 bit
96 k
96 k
File Name Identifier
Velasco_Patiño_COA063
Citation
Cortez, Veronica and Velasco Patiño, Salvador, “Salvador Velasco Patiño,” Bracero History Archive, accessed November 3, 2025, https://www.braceroarchive.org/es/items/show/326.