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Portrait of Fidel Tafolla

The original handwritten manuscript was written in Spanish by the Reverend Santiago Tafolla at the age of 71. Tafolla was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico under Mexican rule; traveled widely in the US; and served in the Texas Indian Wars and the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The memoir offers a rare look at 19th century Texas from the Tejano perspective and is the only known memoir of a Mexican American who served in the Civil War. Tafolla's great-granddaughters Carmen and Laura Tafolla transcribed, translated, and edited the memoir, which was ultimately published as A Life Crossing Borders: Memoir of a Mexican-American Civil War Soldier, by Arté Público Press in 2009.

Goodman discusses her upbringing in Waco, Texas. She also recounts her experiences as a student and later as a teacher in Waco. She also addresses topics such as farming, local religious life and revivias, WWI, the Great Depression, and practices such as canning and refrigeration.

Margaret Carney reminisces about her life in Chilton and Waco during WWI and WWII. She reflects on her work in the USO as a hostess and director of the service club at North Camp Hood and South Camp Hood where she was paid to sing, dance, and play piano for the soldiers. Along with recalling certain popular songs, dances, and momentous events like V-E Day and V-J Day, she discusses the camps' soldiers and German POWs.

Cover story on Johnny Bush