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==Early Life==

==Early Life==

He was born on March 31, 1927 on a farm near [[Yuma]], [[Arizona]] owned by his parents. His family lost their holdings during the [[Great Depression]] and moved to [[California]] to work in the fields.  Chavez attended numerous schools but never finished the eighth grade. Chavez served in the United States Navy 1944-1946, then worked in the fields until 1952. In 1952 he he became an organizer for the Community Service Organization ('''CSO'''), targeting police brutality. In 1958 he was elected executive director of the CSO.<ref>''The Story of Cesar Chavez'' (UFW Biography) http://lasculturas.com/biographies/214-civil-rights/112-cesar-chavez</ref>

He was born on March 31, 1927 on a farm near [[Yuma]], [[Arizona]] owned by his parents. His family lost their holdings during the [[Great Depression]] and moved to [[California]] to work in the fields.  Chavez attended numerous schools but never finished the eighth grade. Chavez served in the United States Navy 1944-1946, then worked in the fields until 1952. In 1952 he became an organizer for the Community Service Organization ('''CSO'''), targeting police brutality. In 1958 he was elected executive director of the CSO.<ref>''The Story of Cesar Chavez'' (UFW Biography) http://lasculturas.com/biographies/214-civil-rights/112-cesar-chavez</ref>

 

==Farm Workers==

==Farm Workers==

In 1962 Chavez resigned from the CSO, moved to Delano, California, and founded the National Farm Workers Association ('''NFWA'''), precursor of the UFW. Dolores Huerta (b. 1930), was cofounder, first vice president and director of negotiations.<ref>Richard A. Garcia, "Dolores Huerta: Woman, Organizer, and Symbol." ''California History'' 1993 72(1): 56-71. Issn: 0162-2897  </ref>At first, Chavez concentrated on building a grassroots power base among the field workers. In 1965 the NFWA first engaged in militant action by supporting a strike of Filipino grape pickers organized by the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) led by Larry Itliong.  Although the NFWA was weak, Chavez led his 2,000 members out on strike in support of the smaller group.  

In 1962 Chavez resigned from the CSO, moved to Delano, California, and founded the National Farm Workers Association ('''NFWA'''), precursor of the UFW. Dolores Huerta (b. 1930), was cofounder, first vice president and director of negotiations.<ref>Richard A. Garcia, "Dolores Huerta: Woman, Organizer, and Symbol." ''California History'' 1993 72(1): 56-71. Issn: 0162-2897  </ref> Both Chavez and Huerta were personally mentored by Fred Ross,<ref>[http://action.ufw.org/page/s/fredross Ask President Obama to award Presidential Medal of Freedom to Cesar's mentor, Fred Ross Sr.]</ref> a close associate of [[Saul Alinsky]].

 

At first, Chavez concentrated on building a grassroots power base among the field workers. In 1965 the NFWA first engaged in militant action by supporting a strike of Filipino grape pickers organized by the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) led by Larry Itliong.  Although the NFWA was weak, Chavez led his 2,000 members out on strike in support of the smaller group.  

From the beginning of the Delano grape strike, he had to improvise tactics to counter the greater power of the growers. In the spring of 1966 Chavez called for a consumer boycott of grapes and led a 300-mile (485-km) march from Delano to Sacramento, thereby bringing the grape pickers' struggle to the attention of the nation.  During the march Chavez issued the "Plan of Delano", a persuasive document that was designed to win support for crop-pickers on strike and for all oppressed minorities. The powerful rhetoric of the document reflected the turbulence of the Chicano and farmworkers' movements in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.

From the beginning of the Delano grape strike, he had to improvise tactics to counter the greater power of the growers. In the spring of 1966 Chavez called for a consumer boycott of grapes and led a 300-mile (485-km) march from Delano to Sacramento, thereby bringing the grape pickers' struggle to the attention of the nation.  During the march Chavez issued the "Plan of Delano", a persuasive document that was designed to win support for crop-pickers on strike and for all oppressed minorities. The powerful rhetoric of the document reflected the turbulence of the Chicano and farmworkers' movements in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.

===Primary Sources===

===Primary Sources===

*  Chavez, Cesar. ''The Words of Cesar Chavez'' ed. by Richard J. Jensen, and John C. Hammerback (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Words-Cesar-Chavez/dp/1585441708/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213011050&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]

*  Chavez, Cesar. ''The Words of Cesar Chavez'' ed. by Richard J. Jensen, and John C. Hammerback (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Words-Cesar-Chavez/dp/1585441708/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213011050&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]

==See also==

 

==Online resources==

==References==

* [http://www.chavezfoundation.org/ Cesar E. Chavez Foundation]

 

==External Links==

* [http://www.chavezfoundation.org/ Cesar E. Chavez Foundation]

* [http://www.ufw.org/ UFW website]

* [http://www.ufw.org/ UFW website]

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