Living History Farms is proud to announce the hosting of its first Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition, opening April 2nd. The exhibition, entitled, "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964," will be free to the general public. The exhibition will be on view at the museum April 2 through May 17, 2015 in the museum's Visitor Center. The public can view this exhibit at no charge during the exhibition hours, which are April 2-April 30, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm. Beginning May 1, when the museum opens for the season, the exhibit can be viewed from 9am to 4pm, Monday through Saturday, and Sundays 12-4pm, through May 17th.
On April 2nd from 6pm to 9pm, a free special event will be held. "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964," gives historical context to the current discussion on the complicated issues surrounding immigration in the U.S. For those who wish to explore these issues further and to relate them to contemporary life in Iowa, the combination of an exhibition tour and screening of the documentary, "A Little Salsa on the Prairie," will be offered on April 2nd from 6 pm to 9 pm. Immediately following the film, a panel discussion with the filmmakers and Perry residents who appeared in the film will take place. The local presentation of the exhibition and public programs are supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment of the Humanities. The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment of the Humanities.
About the exhibit:
In 1943, President Roosevelt announced the creation of what would become the largest Mexican guest-worker program in U.S. history. "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964," a new bilingual (English/Spanish) exhibition at Living History Farms and organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), will explore this chapter of American history.
Facing labor shortages on the home front during World War II, the United States initiated a series of agreements with Mexico to recruit Mexican men to work on American farms and railroads. The Emergency Farm Labor Program, more familiarly known as the Bracero Program, enabled approximately 2 million Mexicans to enter the United States and work on short-term labor contracts.
"SITES is deeply gratified to share with the nation a central part of American labor history of which so few are aware," said Anna Cohn, director of SITES. "The story of the bracero is rooted in hope and determination. It is a testament to the enduring contributions that Mexicans and Mexican Americans have made to American life."
The exhibition explores the braceros' contributions to communities in Mexico and the United States, the opportunities that became available to braceros and the challenges that they faced as guest workers during the war years and afterward. Included in the exhibition are 15 free-standing banners featuring oral histories, quotes and photographs by Leonard Nadel, a photographer who, in 1956, exposed employer violations endured by many braceros. The Nadel photos inspired the museum's work on "Bittersweet Harvest and the Bracero History Project, which also includes audio clips of former braceros relating their experiences. The firsthand accounts were collected as part of the project's oral-history initiative.
"Living History Farms is thrilled to host our very first exhibit on loan from the Smithsonian. This exhibition allows us to explore complex issues of race, class, community and national origin while highlighting the irrefutable contributions by Mexican Americans to American society," said Ruth Haus, president of the museum. "'Bittersweet Harvest' is a unique opportunity to share an important but overlooked chapter in Iowa history with visitors across the country with our community."
Accompanying the exhibition is a Web site with transcripts, audio files of all of the oral histories, photos, essays, bibliographies and teaching resources. Developed by the Center for New Media at George Mason University, the Web site features a section where braceros and their families can contribute their own stories. The Web site is located at http://braceroarchive.org.
"Bittersweet Harvest" is organized by the National Museum of American History and organized for travel by SITES. Funding is made possible through the Smithsonian's Latino Center, which celebrates Latino culture, spirit and achievement in America by facilitating the development of exhibitions, research, collections and education programs. For more information, visit www.latino.si.edu.
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at www.sites.si.edu.
Living History Farms tells the story of 300 years of agricultural history and is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2015. To learn more about the museum, visit www.livinghistoryfarms.org
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