Cesar Estrada Chavez

Cezar Chavez

Born March 31 1927, in Yuma, Arizona, Cezar Chavez was a great freedom fighter. He fought for the rights of workers and led protests. He also formed an organization, united farm workers, that to wanted better conditions for hard labor workers. He was a person for the people and about the people and was not afraid of going out on a limb for what he believed in. His never ending dedication to his beliefs is a great example of what hard work can get you and it is very inspiring to many.

Cezar Chavez started school when he was seven years old. But he soon discovered it too difficult because he only knew Spanish. So he found other means to gain knowledge, he would learn from relatives and his parents. They would give him math problems and read to him. The great depression hit and Cezar's dad was forced to give up his job. So the family moved from many migrant camps picking up little jobs wherever they could, such as picking fruit or some type of field work. Times were hard for him at that point and many sacrifices were made.

After finishing the eighth grade Cezar quit school and worked full time in vineyards to better help support his family. His family finally got up enough money to buy a small cottage in San José. Cezar returned to California and got married. After finishing serving, in Word War 2, he started working in the fields but he was different. He began to fight for better ways.

This urged Chavez to fight constantly for better ways, so in 1952 he met a man by the name of Fred Ross who was part of an organization called (CSO) Community Service Organization. After hearing of this he soon became a member. He traveled all over California making speeches and encouraging Mexican Americans to vote. After doing this for a while he too became inspired to start his own organization called the National Farm Worker Association (NFWA).

The name was later changed to (UFW) United Farm Workers. In 1968 Cezar and the (UFW) led a strike against the California grape pickers. The protest told all Americans to boycott table grapes. The protest lasted five years and eventually ended with a singing of agreement. This too like many others ended with a agreement. Cezar Chavez died April 3, 1993, a great man.