Cesar Chavez

Cesar Estrada Chavez was the Mexican-American civil rights activist and labor leader who founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers. He helped to organize several strikes and boycotts that led to higher wages for farm workers in the 1970s. His birthday is celebrated as a holiday in 8 U.S. states.

Fast Facts:

1. Born: March 31, 1927
2. Place of Birth: Yuma, Arizona
3. Occupation: Farm Worker, Labor Leader, Civil Rights Activist
4. Organization: United Farm Workers
5. Died: April 23, 1993

Timeline

• 1942: Works on farm picking lettuce and beets
• 1946: Joins the National Agricultural Workers Union
• 1948: Joins the National Farm Workers Labor Union
• 1952: Joins Saul Alirsky's CSO
• 1958: Organized strikes in Oxnard
• 1962: Founds the Farm Workers Association
• 1965: Beginning of Grape Boycott
• 1966: March on Sacramento
• 1968: 25 Day fast
• 1969: UFW established National Grape Boycott Day
• 1970: Chavez imprisoned for challenging boycott injunction
• 1973: First UFW convention
• 1988: 36 day fast protesting pesticides

Quotes

1. "From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength."
2. "Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers. "
3. "Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures."
4. "Real education should consist of drawing the goodness and the best out of our own students. What better books can there be than the book of humanity?"
5. "The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people."

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