The harvest gypsies are a series of articles written by John Steinbeck. He was an American-born author who wrote twenty-seven books and sixteen novels. Among his writings were six non-fictional books and five collections of short stories.
The Harvest Gypsies elaborated on the hardships and triumphs of American migrant workers during the great depression. These articles traced the stories and paths of migrant workers as they moved from crop to crop. They give an in-depth analysis of how these people eked out a stark existence. Eventually, these early migrant workers came to be known as “New Gypsies.” (Steinbeck 1).
Over the decades, more immigrant workers migrated to the United States in search of greener pastures. They had no proper settlements and facilities even up to the 1960s.
Unlike the first immigrant worker, the laborers who came later traveled with their entire families. Since they were poor immigrants, they could not meet most of their basic needs.
They had to live in migrant camps with poor services. Low sanitation standards led to the spread of contagious diseases. Furthermore, these camps were overcrowded with a limited supply of water and food.
The government, on the other hand, was oblivious to the plight of these workers. There was no policy to cater for their rights.
These workers did not have any other form of livelihood apart from working on the farms. They constantly kept on the move as they had to follow the crops ready for harvest up and down across the states.
These people were destitute, always hungry and homeless. The government later on established squatter camps for these workers. However, these camps still had inhumane conditions.
For most of the 1960s, the image of migrant workers depicted mainly hard working whites or Hispanic families that lived in the north during the winter months in south Florida, central California or South Texas.
During the spring, they followed the sun northwards to harvest ripening crops from Michigan to New York to Washington.
One major factor that created awareness about the suffering of the Harvest Gypsies was the civil rights movement. African Americans were also advocating for their rights as human beings. They were protesting against racial discrimination and segregation in public places. Migrant workers also voiced out their grievances (Sachs 219).
The groundbreaking documentary "Harvest of Shame" highlighted the plight of migrant workers for the first time on television. This film created more awareness on workers issues and announced to the whole world how the government neglected poor and oppressed workers.
The American government was increasingly coming under pressure to address the situation. Federal governments started giving assistance to the workers in the camps.
Proper houses got built for the workers. They also got better health and sanitation services. In the 1970s, more government assistance got channeled towards migrant workers (Whittaker, Salen & Guiterrez 484).
During this time, the workers started abandoning mobile lifestyles and started permanently settling down. They began looking for other jobs. More of their kids joined schools. Their general standard of life became much better.
Lessons learned from the Gypsies
The story of the Gypsies provides a good lesson how the small positive acts of an individual can change the lives of many. John Steinbeck started by writing simple articles highlighting the plight of migrant workers. His works gained popularity and created awareness.
We also learn that unrelenting hard work always pays off. The gypsies never unrelated in their efforts to look for a better life. Through their endless migrations and crisscrossing the country, they ensured that they had to make it no matter what.
The historians also get to learn how various communities settled into the United States. This process helps them understand how far people have come from and made them appreciate their efforts.
Most importantly, we learn that when we unite and fight for our rights, we can move mountains. The civil rights movement of the 1960s brought a lot of reform to how the government treats minorities and the have-nots.
Works cited
Sachs, Aaron. "Civil Rights in the Field: Carey McWilliams as a Public-Interest Historian
and Social Ecologist." Pacific Historical Review 73.2 (2004): 215-248. Print.
Steinbeck, John. The harvest gypsies. San Francisco News, 2006.
Whittaker, Catharine R., Spencer J. Salend, and Maria B. Gutierrez. "" Voices from the Fields": Including migrant farmworkers in the curriculum. “The Reading Teacher 50.6 (2007): 482-493. Print.
