Mexican Bracero Railroaders in the United States During World War II: An Endangered History

Mexican citizens came to the United States during World War II to work the most grueling railroad jobs through a contractual agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments. These 136,000 Mexican men, however, have been the focus of less academic research than other groups during World War II. The railroaders were part of the larger bracero program which primarily employed farm workers. The railroad arm of the program lasted only two and half years, while the agricultural branch went on for 22 years. The short duration of the program, combined with the difficulty of accessing archival records documenting living and working conditions, explains the lack of a robust selection of comprehensive literature and public awareness about World War II bracero railroaders. If the bracero program is featured in scholarly journals, it is rare for the railroad braceros to be provided more than a passing mention. To date, only two authors have dedicated entire books to the topic. A handful of scholarly articles and theses address the program head on. To raise awareness and encourage further research, this article provides a brief history of the railroad bracero program and a review of existing literature on the understudied topic.