Cesar Chavez

Activist

1927-03-31 – 1993-04-23

Cesar Chavez was an American labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, later the United Farm Workers. He led nonviolent campaigns to improve wages and working conditions for farm laborers. Chavez became a central figure in the U.S. labor and Chicano movements.

Books by Cesar Chavez

An organizer's tale
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The Words of Cesar Chavez
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The words of César Chávez
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Quotes by Cesar Chavez

We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community - and this nation.
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To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men!
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It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life. I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally non-violent struggle for justice.
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There are vivid memories from my childhood - what we had to go through because of low wages and the conditions, basically because there was no union. I suppose, if I wanted to be fair, I could say that I'm trying to settle a personal score. I could dramatize it by saying that I want to bring social justice to farm workers.
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What we do know absolutely is that human lives are worth more than grapes and that innocent-looking grapes on the table may disguise poisonous residues hidden deep inside where washing cannot reach.
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We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.
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From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength.
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We farm workers are closest to food production. We were the first to recognize the serious health hazards of agriculture pesticides to both consumers and ourselves.
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The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.
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