Soldados: Chicanos in Viê. t Nam - PBS

Discussion Guide | Soldados
Background Information
INFO ON SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY OF
CALIFORNIA
Mexican labor has historically been an important and
integral part of the San Joaquin Valley of California,
where the soldados profiled in the film grew up. After
the Reclamation Act of 1902, water projects played a
crucial role in developing agriculture in the Valley. The
need for labor in the cotton fields of Corcoran brought
seasonal workers into the area. The small town was
temporarily swollen with thousands of cotton pickers
who lived in labor camps.
With the advent of cotton harvesters in the 1950s,
the need for labor dramatically decreased. While many
left, the families of the soldados in the documentary
stayed and settled in Corcoran. In the mid-fifties these
families moved from the camps into the town. Though
many had been in the United States for generations,
they did not speak English. That led to poor performance
in the schools attended by their children where
only English was spoken.
Recently, another industry has arrived in
Corcoran: a state prison. This has changed Corcoran in
many ways. The official population has grown significantly
because the prisoners are included in the population
of the town. It has created more jobs, although
few of the Chicano staff have advanced to high level
positions. Larry Holguin, one of the soldados in the
film, was a correctional officer in the prison.
© American Documentary, Inc. 8