Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez was born on March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona. Chavez dedicated his life

to improving the working conditions and the treatment of farmworkers. He used nonviolence to

to bring attention to the conditions of farmworkers. He led marches, went on several hunger

strikes, and called for boycotts. People believe that a hunger strike is what led him to death in

San Luis, Arizona on April, 23, 1993.

When he was young his family lost their farm during the Great Depression. Him and his

family worked on farms as migrant workers. 1937 is when is his family first moved to California

to become migrant workers. The next ten years after they continued to move around and work on

farms. He knew the horrible conditions they were put through and wanted to change it.

In 1952 Cesar met Father Donald McDonnell, a priest, and Fred Ross, a community

service organizer. This began his introduction to labor organization. A few years later he became

a national director. He resigned in 1952 to organize a union for farm workers. In 1962, after

working as a community and labor organizer in the 1950s, Chavez founded the National Farm

Workers Association. Chavez and his union became well known after September 1965 when the

Fledgling Farm Workers Association joined a strike that the Filipino farm workers in Delanos

grape fields initiated.

A march in 1966 on Sacramento brought attention to the grape strike and consumer

boycott. 1968, Chavez went on a twenty five day fast to make people more aware of the violence

within the union. On July 29, 1970 victory came and twenty six Delano growers signed contracts

that recognized the United Farm Workers and peace came to the vineyards. Also in 1970 the

Teamster Union challenged the UFW by signing sweetheart contracts with the growers in the

Salinas Valley. This led to a four year bloody battle. In 1973 the Teamsters signed an agreement

that ended the strife temporarily. Chavez supported Californias Agricultural Labor Relations
Act. It promised to end the misery for farm workers and ensure justice. However, this promise

was not kept. After 1976 the union went through a major reorganization led by Chavez. This was

planned to outreach to the public as well as improve efficiency.

Chavez began an international boycott of table grapes in 1984. He did this in response to

how the grape industry refused to control pesticide use on its crops. Chaves devoted himself for

thirty years to the problems of poor workers in America. He began a movement which in return

improved working conditions and raised salaries for farm workers in Florida, Texas, Arizona,

and California.
 References
http://www.history.com/topics/cesar-chavez

http://www.biography.com/people/cesar-chavez-9245781

http://www.chavezfoundation.org/_page.php?code=001001000000000