Cesar Chavez and the Chicano Civil Rights Movement
Cesar Chavez and the Chicano Civil Rights Movement
Introduction
In the mid-1960s thousands of Chicanos, people of Mexican descent, walked off the California grape fields in which they worked in protest of exploitation and poor working conditions. They wanted fair wages, better working conditions, and education for their children. They wanted all the opportunities that were extended to other Americans. Among the disgruntled employees was the soft-spoken César Chávez, who believed that his people’s plight could be resolved through the mechanism of non-violent protests. Chief among these mechanisms were his firm belief in fasting and non-violent strikes. These beliefs were the combined result of his childhood experiences, significant encounters with influential persons, educational pursuits and his religious persuasions. The use of these non-violent mechanisms consequently brought national awareness to the Chicano workers’ cause and an inevitable solution to their plight. Hence, it can be argued that César Chávez’s firm belief in fasting and non-violent protests were pivotal factors which had an influential effect on the Chicano’s civil rights movement.
The formative years of César Chávez
The formative years of César Chávez contributed significantly to his future role as a civil rights advocate for the Chicanos and other migrant workers. These formative years comprised many experiences which helped to carve and create the principles and identity that Chávez firmly upheld. These lasting experiences which spanned many decades began during his adolescent period and continued well into his adult life.
The first of these experiences was the loss of Chávez’s family farm, land, and business during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. During this emotional era in American history Chávez’s father Librado lost the family farm and business in 1939 due to the family’s inability to pay taxes (The Rhetorical 12). This event was significant since it introduced the young Chávez to
Introduction
In the mid-1960s thousands of Chicanos, people of Mexican descent, walked off the California grape fields in which they worked in protest of exploitation and poor working conditions. They wanted fair wages, better working conditions, and education for their children. They wanted all the opportunities that were extended to other Americans. Among the disgruntled employees was the soft-spoken César Chávez, who believed that his people’s plight could be resolved through the mechanism of non-violent protests. Chief among these mechanisms were his firm belief in fasting and non-violent strikes. These beliefs were the combined result of his childhood experiences, significant encounters with influential persons, educational pursuits and his religious persuasions. The use of these non-violent mechanisms consequently brought national awareness to the Chicano workers’ cause and an inevitable solution to their plight. Hence, it can be argued that César Chávez’s firm belief in fasting and non-violent protests were pivotal factors which had an influential effect on the Chicano’s civil rights movement.
The formative years of César Chávez
The formative years of César Chávez contributed significantly to his future role as a civil rights advocate for the Chicanos and other migrant workers. These formative years comprised many experiences which helped to carve and create the principles and identity that Chávez firmly upheld. These lasting experiences which spanned many decades began during his adolescent period and continued well into his adult life.
The first of these experiences was the loss of Chávez’s family farm, land, and business during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. During this emotional era in American history Chávez’s father Librado lost the family farm and business in 1939 due to the family’s inability to pay taxes (The Rhetorical 12). This event was significant since it introduced the young Chávez to
Cited: Chicano! History of the Mexican American civil rights movement - The Struggle in the fields. NLCC Educational Media. 1996. DVD. Dunne, John G. Delano: The Story of the California Grape Strike. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003. Print. Hammerback, John C., and Richard J. Jenson. The Rhetorical Career of Cesar Chavez. College Station: Texas A & M UP, 1998. Print. ---. The Words of Cesar Chavez. College Station: Texas A & M UP, 2002. Print. Nelson, Eugene. Huelga. Delano: Farm Worker Press, 1966. Print. Shaw, Randy. Beyond the Fields: Cesar Chavez, The UFW, and The Struggle for Justice in the 21st Century. Berkeley: U of California P, 2008. Print. Taylor, Ronald B. Chavez and the Farm Workers. Boston: Beacon, 1975. Print.