Discovering the Legacy: Top 11 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Cesar Chavez

1. Chavez's 24-day fast and "Si, se puede"

When Cesar Chavez's hunger for justice got literal: Cesar Chavez embarked on a 24-day fast in 1972 in Phoenix, which not only inspired the United Farm Workers but also coined the now-iconic motto "Si, se puede" ("Yes, it can be done") with the help of Dolores Huerta, co-founder of UFW – a phrase that went on to resonate with labor unions and civil rights movements, like a viral catchphrase before viral was a thing!
Source => cnn.com

2. Inspired by MLK, lemons to nonviolence

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and when that still doesn't hit the spot, you just go ahead and turn those lemons into a nonviolent protest like your friend, MLK: Cesar Chavez, deeply inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.'s approach to activism, adopted nonviolence as his method for advocating better working conditions for California's farmworkers. His commitment to peace even led him to fast for 25 days, reinforcing the United Farm Workers' dedication to nonviolence as they fought for change in the fields.
Source => americaslibrary.gov

Did you know the real-life "Moses" was a fearless woman named Harriet Tubman? She led 19 daring trips to free around 300 slaves through the Underground Railroad! Discover her astonishing story 🚂💪🔗

=> Fun Facts about Harriet-Tubman

3. Co-founding the National Farm Workers Association

When life gave Cesar Chavez lemons, he co-founded a whole union: The National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) in 1962 - later evolving into the United Farm Workers (UFW) - in order to champion better wages and working conditions primarily for Mexican and Filipino farm workers in California.
Source => nps.gov

4. The intersection of Gandhi and Grapes of Wrath

Gandhi meets the Grapes of Wrath: Cesar Chavez combined his love for Gandhi's satyagraha principles with a passion for improving the lives of agricultural workers in America, founding the National Farm Workers Association and organizing massive grape boycotts, all while maintaining his commitment to nonviolence and civil disobedience.
Source => mkgandhi.org

5. Posthumous Medal of Freedom and 40,000-strong funeral

Whoever said there's no such thing as a free lunch, clearly never met this guy! Feast your eyes on this little kernel of wisdom: Cesar Chavez was awarded a posthumous Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 1994, which is the United States' highest civilian honor, and more than 40,000 people attended his funeral, showcasing his everlasting impact as a labor activist and advocate for farmworkers' rights.
Source => npr.org

6. 37 schools and civil rights seasoning

They say variety is the spice of life, but young Cesar Chavez took it up a few notches on the Scoville scale with a dash of civil rights seasoning: Chavez attended 37 different schools during his childhood, largely segregated and Spanish-speaking prohibited, inspiring him to co-found the United Farm Workers organization and champion equality through activism.
Source => history.navy.mil

7. Revolutionary grape boycotts

Before peeling any grape was considered a mark of admiration, Cesar Chavez made leaving them on the shelf a revolutionary act: As the driving force behind the United Farm Workers Union, Chavez led the Delano grape strike in 1965 and numerous boycotts, dramatically improving the lot of countless farm workers who were barely surviving in despicable conditions — conditions brought to light by the 1960 CBS documentary Harvest of Shame, like the blockbuster to his triple-feature of activism.
Source => apwu.org

8. Unionizing Houdini

Pulling a grape escape: Just like some sort of unionizing Houdini, Cesar Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers) and led them to victory in strikes and boycotts, securing better wages, benefits, and rights for countless farmworkers and leaving a legacy of steadfast advocacy for economic justice.
Source => time.com

9. Helen Chavez: multitasking queen

Talk about a multitasking queen: Helen Chavez, wife of Cesar Chavez, wasn't just a supportive partner to her activist husband; she was a full-fledged collaborator, working as an administrator, picket line enthusiast, and activist in her own right for the United Farm Workers movement during the 1960s and 70s, occasionally diving back into the fields to get her hands dirty with the very same laborers she was advocating for. Now that's what we call dedication!
Source => coha.org

10. Dynamic duo: Chavez and Huerta

Before Batman and Robin ever joined forces, another powerful duo was already championing justice for the people of the fields: Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta teamed up to lead the National Farm Workers Association, joining forces with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee and transforming into the United Farm Workers. Their superpowers of organizing strikes and boycotts ultimately helped grape workers in the San Joaquin Valley win higher wages and better work conditions.
Source => facinghistory.org

11. Grape boycotts for better work conditions

When life gives you grapes, make a boycott: Cesar Chavez transformed the power of the humble grape into a fruitful protest, leading a nationwide boycott in the late 1960s and early 1970s that eventually harvested better wages and working conditions for farmworkers.
Source => nationaltoday.com