Socorro will inaugurate the Bracero worker museum

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The city of Socorro will open a Bracero Museum this week, honoring and remembering the Mexican workers who filled the labor shortage in the US during and after World War II.

The groundbreaking event will be Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the Rio Vista Community Center, 900 N. Rio Vista Road.

Socorro celebrates National Landmark status for the Rio Vista site

“This Bracero Museum, which will be the first of its kind in the region, celebrates the contributions of the Bracero to the local and national economy. The museum marks a key milestone in Socorro’s historic preservation efforts. It will serve as an educational and cultural institution, ensuring that its stories are preserved for future generations. The Bracero Program was a critical part of the US workforce from 1942 to 1964, bringing in millions of Mexican workers to fill labor shortages in agriculture and railroads during and after of World War II,” the City of Socorro said in a press release.

“These workers, known as Braceros, played a vital role in sustaining the American economy during a time of need, providing skilled labor that helped shape the agricultural industry. Their work hard work, resilience and contributions are still felt today, especially in communities like Socorro and El Paso County, where many Braceros settled, leaving a lasting cultural and economic legacy,” added the City of Socorro.

This summer, the site where the museum will be built was designated an official National Historic Landmark, recognizing the history and contribution of the Braceros and the Bracero Program.

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