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Significant Mexican immigration to the northwest didn’t start until the creation of the Bracero Program, the first major path of immigration from Mexico to Washington in 1942. The program was a labor treaty between Mexico and the United States that brought Mexican agricultural workers to Washington’s fields to help support the war effort. The Bracero workers were contracted directly through the Mexican government by a local sponsor – in this case, the White River Valley Growers Association. They were hired to replace farm workers who had been either drafted into the military or incarcerated due to their Japanese heritage – particularly the high school students who were regularly employed in summer fields in the Valley in previous summers.
The first group of Bracero workers in Auburn arrived in the summer of 1945 and lived in a labor camp set up to house them. They would harvest a variety of different types of crops, including peas, spinach, rhubarb, green beans, lettuce, and hay, and would also weed and do other upkeep on the fields throughout the growing season. The 200 adult workers were not arriving at a brand new camp, however: the camp, located on M Street NE in northeast Auburn, was originally constructed as a camp for the children who were employed to bring in the summer harvest in previous summers.
Essential Listening: Selena Quintanilla Pérez
Selena Quintanilla Pérez, known as the Queen of Tejano music, has contributed countless hits to the American music canon making her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American performers of all time. The word Tejano describes a Texan or an inhabitant of Texas of Mexican descent, and is also used to describe a genre of music that was born within this community. Tejano music is an innovative genre described as having influences from Mexican and Spanish vocal styles, European folk music, as well as jazz, blues and country. Played by small bands, Tejano music often includes guitar or banjo as well as accordions. This Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month let’s celebrate Selena with a mini playlist of some of her biggest hits:
Contigo Quiero Estar – From her 1989 album, Selena, this was Selena’s solo debut single, her first of 24 singles released throughout her career.
Baila Esta Cumbia – From her 1990 album, Ven Conmigo, this song is certified 6x Platinum in Latin America.
La Carcacha – From her 1992 album, Entre a Mi Mundo, this song is certified 3x Platinum in Latin America.
Como la Flor – Also from Entre a Mi Mundo, this song was #6 on the US Latin charts and is certified 9x Platinum in Latin America.
No Debes Jugar – From her 1993 album, Selena Live!, this song was #3 on the US Latin charts and is certified platinum in Latin America.
Amor Prohibido – From her 1994 album of the same name, this song was Selena’s first #1 hit on the US Latin charts and is certified 7x Platinum in Latin America.
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom – Also from Amor Prohibido, this song was a #1 hit on the US Latin charts and is certified 9x Platinum in Latin America.
El Chico del Apartamento 512 – Also from Amor Prohibido, this song is certified 2x Platimum in Latin America.
Dreaming of You – From her 1995 album of the same name, this song went #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold in the US.
No Quiero Saber – From her 1996 album, Siempre Selena, this song was #6 on the US Latin charts.
Editor’s Note: Honorable mentions to the following songs: I Could Fall in Love, No Me Queda Más, Techno Cumbia, La Bamba (w/ Los Dinos), and Disco Medley.
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