Programa Bracero Project

El Programa Bracero - TASK STATEMENT

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http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/
collection/object_1122.html

The Mexican Farm Labor Program (also known as the Bracero Program) was the "single largest and most significant U.S. labor guest worker program of the 20th century."[1] It dramatically impacted the shape of agriculture in the U.S. while simultaneously revolutionizing the culture of the Southwest. The long-lasting impacts of this program still ripple through many industries and are also reflected in both historic and modern immigration policies.

As a class, we will delve into the experience of being a Bracero. To this end we will:

• Read Cajas de Cartón, a book about migrant farm workers
• Watch the movie Y No se lo tragó la tierra to get a better visual sense of the lifestyles of migrant workers.
• Explore the Smithsonian "On the Move" series related to Latinos immigrating to the U.S.
• Listen to various interviews with braceros on the Bracero Archive

Task

After learning about the Bracero experience, your task is to write a narrative (see narrative forms) from the perspective of a Bracero, someone involved in the Bracero Program, a family member left behind in México, or other perspective you identify that is relevant to the Bracero Program. In this narrative, you will be exploring the struggles, successes, and day-to-day lives of migrant farm workers. 

Exhibition

This project will only be exhibited in the form of a website of Bracero Stories we compile. There will be no formal public exhibition of these stories, though I do hope we share them as a class.

Narrative Forms (all in Spanish, por supuesto!)

·       short story

·       series of journal entries

·       letter(s) home to Mexico

·       short film w/ dialogue

·       poem

·       song

·       other idea?

Important Steps & Deadlines

*You will receive individual rubrics/descriptions of each step as we approach the due date. This is a general overview. ***Dates are subject to change.***

Task	Description	Due date
Outline - narrative	You will provide me with a plan (in English) for what your narrative will be.	Due B.O.C. 5.4.12
1st Draft/Version	Due for peer review	5.15.12
Reading comprehension test	I will provide an excerpt from a reading similar to Cajas de Cartón and you will answer comprehension questions.	5.17.12
1st Draft/Version	Due to Becca	5.18.12
Listening comprehension test	I will find a segment of an oral history from a Bracero and you will answer basic comprehension questions about it.	5.21.12
Final Draft	Due to Becca	5.22.12

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[1] 1.Nadel, Leonard. Working the Fields. 1956. Smithsonian Collection. <http://americanhistory.si.edu/ONTHEMOVE/collection/object_1121.html >. April 24, 2012.