Cesar Chavez and Civil Rights Movement
Kamran Shojaei
Prof. Fernandez
Chicano/ Chicana History
December 8, 2015 Cesar Chavez, as a chicano himself, was a Mexican-American farm worker that changed the world of many individuals. Many believe he came along at the right time, the right place, and he was the right person to move chicanos and chicanas to fight for their basic human rights. His qualities as a leader inspired chicanos to defend themselves. In September 1965, under Chavez leadership, Mexican-American farm workers walked off the field and refused to pick grapes at many California venues. They were tired of exploitation and inhumane treatment of growers. They demanded the same opportunities the other Americans had which were: education for their children, decent housing to live, and a living wage. Chavez successfully united people to march for accomplishing a common goal
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Union strategy was to send members out into cities to work on the boycott or the other areas to organize farm workers who became a source of organizers. They relied on the strength of self-expression of speech and drama. Chicano art had a crucial role on the chicano movement. It gave visual forum to chicano’s dreams, struggles, and aspirations. Chicanos could become more visible by creating posters, murals, paintings, and banners. After twenty five days on the road, ten thousands marchers arrived at the state capital in Sacramento. It was a triumphant moment in the history of farm labor. As Cesar Chavez stated: “This pilgrimage we make symbolizes the long historical road we have traveled in this valley alone, and the long road we have yet to travel”. In August 1967, the farm workers had been striked for almost two years. They started to boycott the whole industry. The goal was to put economic pressure on the growers to negotiate like reasonable people about what conditions and what wages people would work