César Estrada Chávez (March 31, 1927 - April 23, 1993) founded the
National Farm Workers Association
that later became the United Farm Workers.
Chávez was born near Yuma, Arizona. He became a migrant farm worker
at age 10, with the rest of his family, when they lost their farm during The Great Depression. He attended over 30 schools, but ended his formal education with the eighth
grade.
He joined the U.S. Navy in 1946 and
served in the western Pacific. After service, he returned to central California and married Helen Fabela.
[[Image:Cesarchavezstamp.jpg|thumb|Cesar Chavez on a 2004 US postage stamp He began working as a organizer in 1952, working for the Community Services Organization, a Latino civil rights group. He became their national director
in the late 1950s, but resigned in 1962 to form the
National Farm Workers Association, which became the United Farm
Workers. He was trained in organizing by Fred Ross, himself a student of Saul Alinsky.
In 1965, Chávez and the NFWA led a strike of California grape-pickers in demand of
higher wages, along with a national boycott of California table grapes, which, five years later resulted in the first major
victory for US migrant workers. [[Image:Cesarchavezstamp.jpg|thumb|Cesar
Chavez on a 2004 US postage stamp He continued to struggle against
large growers, including going on three hunger strikes over wages and
conditions. At the time of his death he was leading another grape boycott to protest the use of harmful pesticides.
He became an American labor rights hero for supporting labor rights for
Mexican migrant farm workers. Chávez was also an ethical vegetarian and
a strong proponent of nonviolence.
Chávez is celebrated in California where the state legislature, in 2000, approved a bill to create a paid state holiday in his honor. The holiday is celebrated on
March 31st, Chávez's birthday. Texas also recognizes the day, and in Arizona it is an optional holiday. The holiday is the first in the history of the United States for a Mexican American and a labor leader.
Many cities have also paid respect by renaming streets or schools for him. These cities include San Francisco, Los Angeles, California, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Austin, Texas
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Salt Lake City. The California cities of Sacramento, Berkeley, and
San Jose have also renamed parks in his memory. The
United States Postal Service honored him
with a stamp in 2004.
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