Cesar Chavez still serves as inspiration to continue fighting for worker rights more than two decades after his death. We remember this great leader and celebrate his legacy during March, as we observe the anniversary of his birth.
Chavez was born near Yuma, Ariz. on March 31, 1927. He and his family worked the fields of California from Brawley to Oxnard, Atascadero, Gonzales, King City, Salinas, McFarland, Delano, Wasco, Selma, Kingsburg and Mendota. He studied civil disobedience and nonviolence, and eventually became an organizer for the Community Service Organization, where he worked on voter registration projects. In 1962, he founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW).
By 1970, the UFW got grape growers to accept union contracts and had effectively organized most of that industry. Chavez's tireless leadership and non-violent organizing actions included the Delano grape strike, numerous hunger strikes that focused national attention on the working conditions endured by farm workers, and the famous 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento in 1966. The hunger strikes throughout his life took a toll on Chavez body and he died in his sleep on April 23, 1993 near Yuma at 65 years of age.
Chavez’s persistence, hard work, faith and willingness to sacrifice of himself helped the downtrodden farm workers of that era earn collective bargaining rights and are the reason why Chavez is still widely believed to be one of the labor movement’s greatest leaders. Join CSEA as we remember and celebrate what Chavez did for farm workers, and to advance the causes of the labor movement.
