Who Was Cesar Chavez?

I saw the new Cesar Chavez movie last weekend and I am so glad the world is finally being introduced to him through this medium. If you've never heard of Cesar Chavez you are not alone. I believe most Americans don't know who he was. Hopefully you have heard the name before as there are schools, parks, buildings, and streets across the country named after him. Even here in Salt Lake City we have our very own Cesar Chavez Boulevard which is the part of 500 South that runs from about 500 West to 700 East. It goes without saying that our public education system has many holes and flaws in it. We keep hearing time and time again how the U.S. lags behind many other developed countries in education, even though more is spent per student here than elsewhere. Kids graduate from high school without proper reading, math, and science skills. It is a real shame that even history lessons are lacking, especially when we could use more minority historical figures and role models, but I am getting off topic here. I know about Cesar Chavez because I'm from the part of the world where his fight began, Central California, but it was not until college that I had a real lecture about him and what he did.  

Cesar Chavez was an American civil rights activist. For decades the agricultural growers of Central California exploited the workers that did (and continue to do) the back breaking work of picking the fruits and vegetables that we (and the rest of the world) consume. The working conditions were awful. There were no toilets in the fields, no potable water, no breaks, and the pay was meager. Cesar Chavez along with Dolores Huerta started the United Farm Workers of America Union in 1962. In 1965 Cesar Chavez organized and led a strike against the grape growers of the region which lasted about five years before working conditions and pay began to improve. This was the beginning of the Chicano Movement and though there is still much more room for improvement in the fields, because even in this day and age mistreatment, child labor, and low wages still exist, Cesar Chavez helped promote awareness of the working and living conditions of the people that help feed Americans and the world.
 
I have included part two of a four part PBS documentary named Chicano that talks about this very topic. It is one of my favorite documentaries and I never get tired of watching it.

Until next time!

-Liz