These men are lined up in a Bracero camp in Brownsville circa 1950. I have long found the Bracero program to be an interesting piece of Texas' history. The Bracero Program was an agreement between the United States and Mexico that allowed millions of Mexican laborers to come to the United States legally to work, primarily in agriculture. Established in 1942 during World War II, when American farms and railroads faced labor shortages on account of their sons and daughters being off at war. The program was intended to provide temporary workers while protecting their rights through government-supervised contracts. The word bracero comes from the Spanish word brazo, meaning arm, and roughly translates to someone who works with his arms. Workers were promised minimum wages, housing, transportation, and certain protections against discrimination. Texas was a major destination for braceros, particularly in cotton-growing regions, although the state was initially excluded from the program because of widespread discrimination against Mexican workers. Texas was formally admitted into the program in 1947. The program continued long after World War II, finally ending in 1964. Over its 22-year existence, approximately 4.6 million labor contracts were issued, although many workers participated more than once. Braceros harvested cotton, picked fruits and vegetables, maintained railroad tracks, and performed other physically demanding jobs that helped sustain American agriculture. I should note that, despite the program's promises, many endured miserable living conditions, withheld wages, discrimination, and exploitation by employers. Photo courtesy the awesome UTA Special Collections in Arlington.

From 1854, the Texas Quote of the Day is advice on the art of kissing: "Hardly any two females kiss alike. There is as much variety in the manner of doing it, as in the faces and manners of the sex. Some delicate little creatures merely give a slight brush of the lip. This is a sad aggravation. We seem to be about to have a good time, and actually get nothing. Others go into us like a hungry man to a beef steak, and seem to chew up our countenances. This is disgusting, and soon drives away a delicate lover. Others struggle like hens when burying themselves in the dry dirt. This kiss is won by great exertions, and is not worth as much trouble as it costs. Now, we are in favor of a certain shyness when a kiss is proposed, but it should not be continued too long; and, when the fair one "gives in," let her administer the kiss with warmth and energy. Let there be soul in it. If she close her eyes, and sigh immediately after it, the effect is greater. She should be careful not to "slobber" a kiss, but give it as a hummingbird runs his bill into a honeysuckle, deep, but delicately. There is much virtue in a kiss when well delivered. We have had the memory of one we received in our youth last US 40 years; and we believe it will be the last thing we shall think of when we die." ---- article from the July 17, 1854 issue of the Texas Republican newspaper from Marshall, Texas. This was actually submitted by "Stars at Night," one of my Traces of Texas forum readers, and I thank him/her for it because it's excellent and because I love it when y'all do the work and all I have to do is copy/paste 😃