Imagine being a minority of Mexican decent with only an eighth grade level of education, being poor, and born into a life of only knowing the hardest and most difficult labor, and least pay as a migrant worker. That is exactly how Cesar Chavez grew up. Chavez was born on March 31st, 1927 around the time of the Great Depression. This was a hard time on the entire nations economy. Due to the drought Chavez’s family lost their farm and had to move to San Jose, California. This is where Chavez was exposed to even more racial controversy towards anyone who was not white. As he grew up, Chavez had to witness the abuse and poor conditions farmworkers faced daily. This touched something inside of Chavez, which caused him to stand up for what …show more content…
Therefore Chavez and his strikers decided to march from Delano, California to Sacramento, California to the state capital. This was almost a 400-mile march. Chavez suffered blisters so badly that he had to use a cane. This march received so much media attention. So many supporters helped the march along the way by providing food, light and at times shelter. By the time Chavez and the marchers reached the state capital in Sacramento, exhausted with bloody shoes and all Chavez gave a speech of good news, that Schenley, one of the biggest grape industries had signed the contracts agreeing to acknowledge the NFWA as a union. Not only was this the great news, the NFWA and AWOC joined forces to form a single organization now called the United Farm Workers Association (UFW) with Chavez as the unions leader. Self Sacrifice As if the march in 1966 was not enough, still stubborn many other states growers and farm owners were not willing to give in to the demands of the Chavez’s union for better working conditions and pay for all migrant workers. “In 1968 Chavez went on a fast for twenty-five days to protest the increasing advocacy of violence within the union. Victory came finally on July 29, 1970, when twenty-six Delano growers formally signed contracts recognizing the ufw and bringing peace to the vineyards.”