The Cesar Chavez Civil Rights Movement

Words: 820
Pages: 4

Mexican-American civil rights activist, labor leader and farmworker: Cesar Chavez battled through years of complex experiences to gain attention to unfairly treated agricultural workers. He utilizes his rights to protest to earn the declaration of these farm labors. He most certainly illuminated the future for them. Cesar Chavez was born to a time of significant change. He was born March 31, 1927 to a poor Mexican family in Arizona; he would enter the American society of the Great Depression, war, segregation and Civil Right Movements. Since he was born in such a time, in 1938 his family was evicted from their shelter due to the Great Depression. This caused them to move elsewhere: California. He and his family would work; he believed he must …show more content…
Not only did feminist and African American take a stand towards their Civil Rights, Cesar Chavez did too. In 1962, Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). He worked with migrant workers to receive minimum wage, insurance, and collective bargaining. He then joined the Agricultural Worker’s Organizing Committee (AWOC). This organization participated in marches, boycotts, picketing, strikes and other non-violent tactics. His strategy was based off other peaceful movement leaders like Gandhian, Marin Luther King Jr. and Dorothy Day. A 250 mile strike was held 1966, from Delano to Sacramento. The union of NFWA and AWOC would combine and become United Farm Workers (UFW). This created the first contract in which listed their demands that would end up being signed. In 1968, his boycott “La Causa” begins; it goes against California table grape sellers. It concludes after two years after with a contact agreement. Then long begins Cesar Chavez 25-day fast in protest. This calls national attention. In 1972 a 24-day hunger strike begins once again, with following a UFW boycott for lettuce growers. In 1988, Chavez takes yet another 34-hour fast in protest against health hazards from exposure to pesticides. Cesar Chavez never failed to give assistance until his death in