Latino Hero Cesar Chavez was Born on this Day!

Latino Hero Cesar Chavez was born in Yuma Arizona on March 31, 1927. He grew up in a close-knit family. His father owned a small grocery store and lived in a small home on a ranch. His father lost both the business and the land due to a shady business deal.

The family stayed strong and stayed together,  moving to California and working as migrant laborers. They picked peas and lettuce in the winter, cherries and beans in the spring, corn and grapes in the summer and cotton in the fall. As a teenager, he helped other migrant workers by driving them into town for groceries and if they needed to see a doctor. Cesar quit school and worked full time in the fields so that his mother could stay home.

At seventeen, he joined the Navy and served for two years. He thought the Navy would teach him a trade, but back in the 40's, there was rampant racism. The only jobs in the Navy for Mexican Americans were as deckhands or painters. Cesar later said "These were the worst two years of my life." After his time in the service, he went back home, married his childhood sweetheart and worked again in the fields.

Cesar continued to help his fellow workers and joined a Latino Civil Rights group and encouraged Latinos to Vote. In 196 he and Dolores Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW). They worked hard to improve the working conditions and improve the pay of the workers. They organized a Grape Boycott and helped improve conditions and pay. Cesar believed in Equal Rights for All People. He undertook several spiritual fasts to promote Equality and Fairness.
Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta are Heroes of ALL Latinos in our Country!

Happy Birthday Cesar! Thank you for fighting for our cause!