Jim Main

Jim Main was born in Los Angeles, California in 1944. His mother, Nicolasa Villegas, was a legal Mexican immigrant who married Jesse Main, an anglo from Missouri. Jim's father died when he was three years old. Jim was raised in the Watts area of south L.A. and attended Harbor College. From 1965 to 1967, Jim served in the Army as a rigger with 6th Special Forces. Jim later moved to Oregon, where he resides with his wife of 47 years. He retired from Law Enforcement in 2003.

"Growing up, we didn't learn to speak Spanish because we were in America and Americans spoke English." This was the sentiment of my mother and other relatives who experienced the Zoot Suit riots and racism. They wanted us to rise above race and be true Americans. We are.

Urbano Villegas is my Tio Urbano's autobiography which he wrote in Spanish with beautiful cursive writing on sheets of paper. In collaboration with several of my cousins and my family, Urbano Villegas' story can now be shared in English by those of us who speak poor or little Spanish. It is Villegas family history.