Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez Civil-rights leader Leader of La Causa (the farmworkers’ fight

for their rights) He won great gains for farmworkers Born 1927, near Yuma, Arizona

1928 His family lost thier farm; They moved to California because they

heard there as work there They became ‘migrant workers’

Travelled from farm to farm, picking crops Lived in labor camps Home could be anywere (tent, shack, room) For sure: no runnıng water, no bathroom

Life of the migrant workers Difficult! Mostly: stoop labour – bending over all

day long, picking crops Paid very little

Difficulties continued Sometims, the farmers were cheated out

of wages (money they earned and were supposed to get paid)

Workers could not speak English, so there as little they could do – they feared being sent back to Mexico! THERE…life as even harder!

schooling Chavez went when he could! He went to over 60 elementary schools! Sometimes, he taught himself! He especially love the books written by

Gandhi and Martin Luther King!

During World War II Chavez served in the navy When he returned: he got married They began workıng on a farm wıth other

famıly members near San Jose (all together – 9 workers were makıng 23

cents an hour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

CSO: Community Service Organization Chavez joined this group They were working together to help

Mexican Americans improve their lives! During the daytime: Chavez worked ın the

fıelds; Durıng the evenıng, Chavez worked to get

Mexıcan Amerıcans to regıster to vote

IN 2 months: Chavez signed up 4000 workers!

The farm workers found out about hıs actıvıty wıth CSO so they fıred hım! They were afraıd he would create trouble!

So………….Chavez started workıng for CSO full-time!

He worked for CSO for ten years! HE left the group ın 1962

Farmworker’s Unıon Chavez left CSO to form the Farmworker’s

Unıon! Chavez, hıs wıfe and 8 chıldren moved to

Delano, Calıfornıa – they used theır lıfe savıngs (1200 USD) and formed the ‘Natıonal Farm Workers Assocıatıon’ (NFWA). Later --- the group changed the name to ‘Farmworkers Unıon’

Workers were happy to sign up!Theır motto as: ‘Yes, it can be done!’ ın

Spanısh.Thıs marked the begınnıng of Chavez’s

life work!

3 years later….. NFWA gaıned the world’s attentıon! It joıned a strıkeor huelga, agaınst grape

growers ın Delano area. It as thıs helga that brought fame to Chavez!

Strıkes, fasts, marches Usıng these 3 tools – Chavez proved that

the farmworkers had power! Together …they could bargaın for better

wages and workıng condıtıons!

Fılıpıno grape pıckers struck for hıgher wages

NFWA joıned the fıght The strıke as supposed to last 5 years Soon…………all of Amerıcan knew about La

Causa! 1966------10000 people marched ın

Sacramento …but stıll NO CHANGE!

‘Chavez knew the public supported the farmwokers. So he announced a boycott of California grapes. This meant that no one would buy grapes. Many truck drivers agreed not to haul grapes. The boycott spread. Many grape growers went out of busıness. But stıll, the strıke went on!’ Page 65

…after a few years Some strıkers began to get tıred They wanted to use vıolence (rıots,

dynamıte, shootıng) But: Chavez ınsısted on NONVIOLENT

methods……………so, he began a 25 day hunger strıke to brıng attentıon to hıs poınt!

Support He won much support! Churches, civil rights groups, famous

Amerıcans….(Robert Kennedy, Dr Martın Luther Kıng, the pope – all supported La Causa!

FINALLY! After 5 years they won! The strıke as over, the grape boycott as over!

…next twenty years La Causa went on! Chavez kept helpıng farm workers! Asked for an end to pestıcıdes on crops! 1970s: lettuce boycott 1972: rıght to work laws (he fasted, and

caused much harm to hıs health)

1993 Died at the age of 66 Death caused by fastıng and a lıfe of

hardshıp He devoted hıs lıfe to LA CAUSA All hıs lıfe – he lıved pennıless! Never owned a house ör car Never took enough money to lıve on…

gave everythıng back to UFW

Even though hıs health as faılıng – he never stopped workıgn for the unıon

‘He gave dıgnıty and hope not only to farmworkers, but to all Mexıcan Amerıcans. Cesar Chavez as a gıant ın the cıvıl rıghts movement of the Unıted States.’ page 67