Cesar Chavez Research Paper

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Pages: 3

Cesar Chavez, one of America’s biggest activists who co-founded the national farm workers association, was born on March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona. Chavez grew up in a small home with his mother Juana Estrada and his father Librado Chavez. He had four siblings, two brothers named Richard and Librado and two sisters named Rita and Vicki. Their family had owned a grocery store and ranch but had lost all of it during the great depression because their father had agreed to get rid of 80 acres for the deed to the house but came short after the agreement was broken. Chavez and his family then moved to California to become farm workers. When Chavez was a teenager, he and his older sister would help the plantation workers and their neighbors by driving …show more content…
When Chavez met with the president of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos in Manila to endorse the regime, which was seen by human rights advocates and religious leaders as a dictatorship. This lead to the resignation of Philip Vera Cruz from the organization. By the end of the 1970’s only one member of the original board of directors had remained. Then in 1988, Chavez had attempted another boycott against grapes but had failed. As a result he underwent his last fast, which lasted 35 days before being convinced by others to start eating again. As a result he had lost 30 pounds and had gained health issues due to this that may or may have not contributed to his death. Chavez then died on April 23, 1993 in the home of a former farm worker and longtime friend Dofla Maria Hau located in san Luis, Arizona. He was located in Arizona helping UFW attorneys defend the union against a lawsuit. After his death, his wife donated his jacket to the Smithsonian museum. He is currently buried at the national Chavez center, headquarters for the UFW. On his 22nd anniversary of his death, the navy rewarded Chavez with belated full military honors for his contribution to civil rights. Till this day, we honor Cesar Chavez with a national holiday honoring Chavez for his commemorative actions and still have unions that support farm workers and their