Cesar Chavez
“Heroic Figure of Our Time”
Photo by Caliosphere
Humble Beginnings
• Cesar Chavez was born March 31, 1927 in
Yuma, AZ to Librado and Juana Chavez.
He was the second oldest of 6 children.
“Destiny” by Leo Limon
Photo by
Caliosphere
Family Suffers During the
Depression
• The Chavez family owned a ranch but
during the Depression they lost their land,
and in 1937 they moved to California to
find work in the fields.
A farm near Yuma, AZ
Photo by Caliosphere
Chavez Family Moves to California
The Chavez family worked
very hard picking fruits and
vegetables. They moved
from farm to farm, and
Cesar attended more
than 30 schools before
leaving school at age 15.
Farm workers picking celery, Chula
Vista Photo by Caliosphere
World War II Veteran
• Cesar joined the military during World War
II and fought for his country.
Some World War II soldiers.
Photo from Caliosphere
After World War II
• Cesar returned to California, married
Helen Fabela in 1948, worked registering
Mexican Americans to vote in San Jose in
1952. He moved to Oakland in 1954 while
continuing his work with Community
Service Organization (CSO).
Post-war Oakland, CA
Photo from Caliosphere
Birth of the NFWA
• While working for CSO, Cesar’s interest in
the plight of Mexican American farm
workers led him to organize them into the
National Farm Workers Association, which
had 1,000 members by 1964.
Cesar during a later strike
Photo from Caliosphere
Grape Boycotts
• Beginning in the 1960s, Cesar led
boycotts against buying grapes to help
improve working conditions and pay for
workers. One boycott lasted 5 years.
Poster from Grape Boycott
Image from Caliosphere
California Labor Relations Act
• Cesar’s work led to the passage of
legislation titled California Labor
Relations Act, the first law to recognize
the right of farm workers to organize into
unions in 1975. It was signed by
Governor Jerry Brown.
Gov. Jerry Brown 1970
Photo from Caliosphere
Peaceful Protests and Hunger
Strikes
• Cesar continued his work during the 1970s
and 1980s urging consumers to boycott
lettuce. He used non-violence and hunger
strikes to counter violence. Grapes were
boycotted in protest of pesticides harmful
to workers.
“Los de abajo” by Tony
Ortega
Image from
Caliosphere
Cesar in Action
Chavez, Cesar: United Farm Workers of
America. Video. Encyclopædia Britannica
Online School Edition. Web.
13 Oct. 2010
<http://school.eb.com/eb/art-127458>.
One Man’s Life Makes A World of
Difference
• Cesar Chavez died April 23, 1993. Tens
of thousands of people attended his
funeral. He was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian
honor in the United States, in 1994.
Chavez in Day of the Dead
Ofrenda
Image from Caliosphere