César Chávez (1927-1993) is an American hero. A Latino labor organizer and civil rights activist, he mobilized farm workers and the general public to secure labor rights and benefits for workers, many of whom were migrant farmers and undocumented immigrants.
Born in Arizona to Mexican parents, César’s family lost their farm during the Great Depression (late 1920s to late 1930s) and relocated to California in search of work as migrant laborers. César worked alongside his parents on the farm and witnessed firsthand the harsh conditions faced by laborers.
As a young man, César took on leadership roles in social movements. In 1962, he partnered with union organizer Dolores Huerta to co-found the National Farm Workers Association, which eventually became the United Farm Workers Union in 1972. Together, they registered workers to vote and organized strikes, most notably the pivotal Delano grape strike (1965-1970). In 1972, the union joined the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), representing a significant portion of the U.S. labor force.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded César Chávez the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2014, President Barack Obama declared César Chávez Day a federal commemorative holiday.