…y no se lo tragÓ la tierra …And the earth did not devour him

1. A presentation by: Laura Martinez Tonya Valdez By Tomás Rivera …y no se lo tragÓ la tierra…And the earth did not devour him Photograph courtesy of:www.goodreads.com Image courtesy of: www.paperbackswap.com

2. Born 1935 in Crystal City, Texas. Son of Mexican citizens. Worked as a farm laborer in the 1950’s. Pursued higher education at Southwest Texas State University, graduating with a degree in English. Was unable to find work at first due to his being a Mexican American. Returned to college to earn his master’s in English, and went on even further to earn his Ph.D in romance languages and literature at University of Oklahoma. Writings were influenced by the hardships that Mexican Americans faced during the 1940’s to 1950’s (Migrant). Died in 1984 due to a heart attack. Biography

3. As mentioned before, Rivera was influenced by the hardships faced by migrant workers during the 1940’s and 1950’s (Hispanic). Having grown up during this period, he witnessed quite a bit first hand and was able to translate what he saw around him into his writings. Some of the major influences during these time periods would be the drafting of Mexican Americans to fight during WWII, the start of the Bracero Program, racial discrimination, as well as spiritual and cultural practices. Influences

4. During the war, just like African Americans, Mexican Americans had been drafted to fight and die for a surrogate country that they believed in strongly. While many didn’t wish to go, they left their families behind to pray for their safe return while they fought on the front lines. Fighting, and dying, to try and create a better future not just for their country, but for their families as well (Latinos). Young Mexican American Soldier Photo Courtesy of: www.kshs.org War Times

5. Many Mexican Americans hoped that in doing this, racial differences would ease and allow for a better integration for the youth, instead of segregation. During the war, Mexican Americans were among some of the first to see combat during the war. Due to their bravery and courage shown during battle, the country began to look at Mexican Americans in a knew light. However, it still wasn’t enough to change the minds of the Anglos who continued to segregate them (Latinos). Photo Courtesy: latinamericanhistory.about.com War Times

6. Braceros Photo Courtesy: latinolikeme.wordpress.com During WWII, the U.S. Government enacted the Emergency Labor Program-known as the Bracero Program- which allowed many workers from Mexico to come into the U.S. for a set time (Hispanic). Workers, known as Braceros, were often squashed together in camps that acted as their living quarters. The camps were adequate, but far from comfortable (Gamboa). Migrant workers hoping to be picked for the Bracero Program

7. Braceros Photo Courtesy: www.dipity.com It was hard and barely rewarding work. Having to put up with the harsh conditions, poor pay, and greedy contractors in order to earn enough money to send back to their families to provide for them. For example, the “back breaking work” was usually reserved for the Mexicans because, unlike the white employed workers, the Mexicans took on just about any job that was given to them. Even if the pay was poor. In their eyes it was good money that they could desperately use (Gamboa).

8. Racial Discrimination Photo Courtesy: dogpossum.org During WWII, zoot suits began to spring up everywhere in Los Angeles. While segregation was already at a high, many Anglos began to associate those who wore zoot suits with trouble. And since many Mexican American youths and taken a liking to the style, naturally Mexicans were labeled as no good. Fights broke out, which led to riots, which led Americans to believe that the Mexican Americans were savage people and that they didn’t belong in the U.S. (People) Zoot Suit Riot Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1TRY92kmB0

9. Even after WWII was over, segregation continued. The Mexican Americans still had to attend segregated schools, eat at segregated restaurants, live in separate neighborhoods away from the Anglos, and basically remain out of sight. Treated as if they were inferior to the Anglos in every way. The Anglos even went as far as to restore some of the cultural buildings and places of the South just to draw in tourists and earn cash to fill their pockets. It was in no way to help the people that truly cherished and upheld their heritage. They were just exploited (Mexican). Racial Discrimination

10. In understanding everything that was going on during this time, we can gain a better understanding of what Rivera was going through himself as it happened around him. Taking in everything that his people faced during this time, he was able to create various short stories that allowed us insight, even if just a little, into his fictitious characters world. Allowing us to understand how they felt about being a laborer in the fields barely earning anything. Showing us how discrimination ran deep through the south in both the parents and youth. Proving that while some can be crooked thieves, others are honest and fair citizens. That their culture and spirituality are extremely important and that they wouldn’t give it up for the world. Rivera wanted to show us the struggle that his people faced and how they were able to cope and rise above it all. Despite everything that had been thrown at them. Putting It All Together

11. “Migrant Struggle”. American Passages: A Literary Survey. Web. 22 January 2013. http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit12/authors-5.html “Hispanic Americans: Migrant Workers and Braceros (1930s-1964)”. California Cultures. The Regents of The University of California. Web. 22 January 2013. http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu/calcultures/ethnic_groups/subtopic3b.html “Latinos, World War I and World War II”. U.S. History in Context. Web. 22 January 2013. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/uhic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?zid=4dc51232a442a44a194ce836fe545226&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3427300261&userGroupName=k12_histrc&jsid=d0e3e1f145eaddd1e54902d8df350d08 Works Cited

12. Gamboa, Erasmo. “The Daily Life of the Bracero”. The Braceros: The Oregon Experience. Web. 22 January 2013. http://www.opb.org/programs/oregonexperiencearchive/braceros/life.php “People & Events: The Zoot Suit Riots of 1943”. American Experiences. Web. 25 January 2013. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/zoot/eng_peopleevents/e_riots.html “Mexican Americans”. Countries and Their Cultures. Web. 25 January 2013. http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Le-Pa/Mexican-Americans.html Works Cited