An exhibition by the National Museum of American History in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Funding was provided by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Smithsonian

City of San Jose

Nora Campos Counsilmember - City of San Jose

Mexican Heritage Corporation

Mexico 2010 Bicentennial

Mexican Heritage, the City of San José, and the office of
Councilmember Nora Campos present

Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964

Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program
Date

February 20 - May 2, 2010

Location

Mexican Heritage Plaza Galeria

Regular Exhibit Hours

9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday

Extended hours (subject to change, please check back for updates):

  • Extended Weekday hours: Tuesday - Thursday 5:00pm - 7:30pm. Stop by this historic exhibit on your way home from work.
  • Saturday, April 24: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. NHU Distinguished Speaker Series Panel Discussion "Mexican Labor, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"
  • Saturday, May 1: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • Sunday, May 2: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm. San Jose DeBug's Despedida del Bracero Event 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm, see flyer! This is your last chance before the exhibit moves on. Don't miss it!

Despedida del Bracero

Presented jointly by Mexican Heritage, the City of San José, and the office of Councilmember Nora Campos, this bilingual, multimedia, touring exhibition, organized by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, explores the dramatic story of the largest guest worker program in American history. The Mexican Heritage Plaza was one the Smithsonian's very first stops to gather items and stories for the exhibition, and has been selected as the debut exhibit venue. Smithsonian materials will be supplemented with items from the History San José collection.

See the online companion piece to the exhibit at americanhistory.si.edu.

For other great resources about the Bracero program for adults and kids check out these helpful bibliographies, courtesy of San José State University:
Researching the Bracero Program
Youth Resources on Farm Workers

Local exhibit made possible by a grant from the Castellano Family Foundation

Castellano Family Foundation

Supported, in part, by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San José.