Today is Cesar Chavez day in California. A holiday first established by the Cesar Chavez Foundation to honor the late Cesar Chavez. Chavez, a man who bettered working conditions for farmworkers in California and much of the United States passed away April 23rd, 1993. Fasting for 25 days in a show of non-violent protest, he lead the Farm Worker movement in it’s efforts to raise awareness of the miserable working conditions in California circa 1965. Also starting the national boycott of table grapes around 1970, “NO GRAPES” or “NO UVAS”.

Of note in Chavez’s history was his opposition to the Farm owners bringing illegal immigrants over the border as strikebreakers, although Chavez did support the ’86 federal immigration act.

The UFW during Chávez’s tenure was committed to restricting immigration. César Chávez and Dolores Huerta fought a federal law that prohibited hiring illegal immigrants in 1973. Later during the 1980s, while Chávez was still the UFW president, Dolores Huerta, the cofounder of the UFW, was key in getting the amnesty provisions into the 1986 federal immigration act. [2].

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h/t to Ms. Banneker at the LA Metblog: Happy Birthday, Cesar Chavez