Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez (Drawn by me)

Cesar Chavez worked for the freedom of farm workers. He was tired of the way farmer workers were treated so he worked to get these workers in better conditions. Chavez led marches, boycotts, and strikes to improve farm workers' working conditions in the United States of America.

Cesar Estrada Chavez was born in Arizona on March 31, 1927. Cesar, a child of Librado Chavez and Juana Estrada, was named after his grandfather, Cesario or Papa Chayo. Papa Chayo was a farm worker and married Dorotea, or Mama Tella. They had fifteen children, including Librado. Librado and Juana then had Cesar, which was the second of six children. He learned religion from his mother and grandmother, attended school, and had much play time. Cesar loved to play billiards with his younger brother, Richard.

Cesar Chavez in the Navy

In 1942, Cesar's father got into a car accident and was so badly injured that he was unable to work for a month. Because his father was unable to work, Cesar dropped out of school to work full-time in the fields. He graduated from eighth grade, a great accomplishment for a migrant child, and had a goal for a high school diploma. Unfortunately, he couldn't achieve this because his family was in need of a lot help. A couple of years later, Cesar joined the U.S. Navy. Then, in 1948, Cesar married Helen Fabela. Cesar and Helen moved to Delano and started a family there.

Chavez was a determined fighter. First, Cesar served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, and later fought through strikes and boycotts. Also, on February 14, 1968, in a United Farm Workers of America (UFW) meeting, Chavez announced he was going through a fast. He stated that he would fast to show his determination for better conditions for farm workers. Cesar's fast lasted for 36 days and this action was stopped due to his health issues. Once Chavez's fast ended, Reverend Jesse Jackson continued this fast for three days. He only drank water and after those three days, he passed it on to celebrities and leaders.

Later, Cesar was arrested in Delano for sitting in the whites-only section of a movie theater. Then, Chavez started supporting the Delano Grape Strike. The Delano Grape Strike was started by the Filipinos. Cesar said, "The strike was begun by the Filipinos, but it is not exclusively for them. Tonight we must decide if we are join our fellow workers in this great labor struggle." This strike protested for higher wages. Security guards and growers harassed the strikers, but the strike soon caught national attention, including Robert F. Kennedy. The national attention was caught from the group of strikers' pilgrimage from Delano to Sacramento, California. Kennedy was soon a supporter of this boycott. The Delano Grape Strike lasted for five years.

All Cesar Chavez's hard and nonviolent work payed off. Cesar succeeded in proving to everyone who didn't believe that he could win against the rich and powerful growers. He received the Martin Luther King, Jr., Nonviolent Peace Prize in 1974. Sadly, Chavez died in his sleep on April 23, 1993 in San Luis, Arizona. He passed away at the age of 66. Chavez was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. Helen received this medal on Cesar's behalf. All Chavez's work touched the people's lives. Later, the rules changed for farm workers. Cesar Chavez now has a statue of him in honor of all his determination standing in Fresno, California. People from all over who see the statue remember what he did for the workers who weren't treated with the respect they deserved. Also, in this hero's honor, Cesar Chavez has his own day, Cesar Chavez Day, celebrated on his birthday, March 31.