Employment and Social Spaces: The Legacy of the Bracero Program in Southern California

Abstract

The Bracero Program (1942-1964) was a bilateral agreement between the United States and Mexican governments that allowed Mexican citizens to migrate to the United States as temporary contract workers. Out of the twenty-four states that participated in the program, California received the greatest number of braceros. Currently, there is minimal scholarly material on the impact the Bracero Program had on the Mexican American community of Southern California. My analysis examines the Bracero Program through a lens that puts culture and social interaction at the forefront. Employing primary and secondary source materials, this paper investigates the effects the Bracero Program had on employment and how this created inter-ethnic animosity between braceros and Mexican Americans. Ultimately, understanding the historical effects of the Bracero Program will allow us to better understand how labor impacts culture.