Boulder County Latino History
Boulder County Latino History
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  • Agricultural Work, 1900-1940

Agricultural Work, 1900-1940

This set describes the essential role of Latino family labor in the agricultural economy of Boulder County, especially the back-breaking work of growing sugar beets.

Full Text PDF: Chapter 3: The Contributions of Hispanic Workers, 1900-1940

Bernal, Dora, Excerpt #1, from English translation of 1978 audio interview

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Biography of E. E. and Eva Bernal, written in 2012

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Certificate of Merit from Great Western Sugar Co. to Canuto Martinez, 1929

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Elderly Couple in Front of Old Car

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Emma Suazo Thinning Beets

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Four children and a baby in front of car

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Hauling sugar beets

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Martinez girls on a truck on a Sunday morning, Lafayette, 1929

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Men Topping Sugar Beets

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Oral history, Lou Cardenas, pt. 1

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Oral history, Lou Cardenas, pt. 2

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Pile of sugar beets outside the processing factory in Longmont, early 20th century

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Rows in a large sugar beet field, early 20th century

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Team of people working with a horse-drawn digger when harvesting sugar beets, early 20th century

February 11, 2016 / Mary Ellen Graziani /

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Historian Comments

Immigrants from Mexico, the northern part of New Mexico, and southern Colorado provided nearly all of the labor that fueled the one of the two major economic activities of this area prior to around 1940: growing and processing sugar beets. Growing beets was usually done by family groups. At the beginning of each season, the male head would contract with a given farmer, under an arrangement with Great Western Sugar, to carry out all the steps necessary to growing beets on a certain number of acres. Payment was made as a lump sum after the harvest. Work on the beet fields required men, women, and children to stay in a stooped position, using short-handled tools, for hours at a time, often under a hot sun. The housing provided for agricultural laborers was generally deplorable, and during the winter they needed either to find other types of short-term employment or leave the area entirely. A few men took jobs working in the sugar factory in Longmont that processed the beets, and a few other types of agricultural work were available. Whereas beet workers normally came only for the growing season in the 1920s, by the 1930s many of them were staying in the region for the whole year, which made it easier for their children to attend school.

Teaching Boulder County Latino History is an extension of the Boulder County Latino History Project. This site provides resources for those interested in teaching Boulder County Latino History. The teaching resources are grounded in the books written by CU Boulder’s Distinguished Professor Marjorie McIntosh.

There are three central components to this site. The Lesson Database provides lessons for K-12 teachers. Each lesson uses primary sources and is grounded in the books by Prof. McIntosh. Beyond the curated lessons teachers are encouraged to explore the Primary Source Sets and access the full text of Prof. McIntosh’s books. The book outlines link lesson plans and primary sources to each chapter. Teachers and students are welcome to download all or parts of the books to support their learning.

Our Work

Lesson Topics

Businesses Celebrations/ ceremonies Children Civil rights activity Culture/ identity issues Deportation Education/ schools Employment, manufacturing/ unskilled Employment, professional/ skilled Families Farm work/ agriculture/ ranching Food/ cooking Government/ government programs/ laws Health/ medicine/ healing Houses/ living places Immigration Interviews done in 2013 Labor unions/ strikes Languages (Spanish and English) Mexico/ Mexicans Migrant workers Mining Music/ dancing/ art/ recreation Neighborhoods New Mexico/ New Mexicans Organizations/ clubs Police/ Sheriffs/ I.C.E. officials Political or community participation Quantitative information Racism/ discrimination/ segregation Religion/ churches Soldiers/ wars/ veterans Sports/ outdoor activities Transportation/ cars University of Colorado/ college students Women Work done by women and children

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