Summer HW 3: Cesar Chavez Multimedia

By Amy Han, Erika Liu, Warren Su & Matthew Zhang

Disclaimer: Trigger warning of sexual abuse.

A New York Times investigation published on March 18 revealed that multiple women associated with the United Farm Workers (UFW) union had been allegedly harassed and sexually assaulted by famed civil rights leader César Chávez in the 1960s and 1970s, initiating a widespread reassessment of his legacy. These women claim the misconduct started when they were minors, a statement supported by UFW meeting recordings, letters, and emails during the investigation. The resultant controversy has prompted a mass reassessment of the way Chávez has been commemorated through physical monuments and school curricula. Throughout the Bay Area and broader CA, officials are working to erase Chávez from local schools, parks, and holidays in accordance with what recent investigations have revealed.

César Chávez has traditionally been honored as a powerful symbol for Latino and immigrant labor rights. Through his work with the UFW, Chávez secured historic rights for his community through nonviolent protest, becoming a seminal figure in the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. This movement was extremely prominent in CA, particularly the Bay Area, which has deep ties to Chávez’s legacy. Over 65 public spaces — streets, schools, and plazas in places like Hayward, Berkeley, and San Francisco — are named after him in the Bay Area alone.

Following the allegations, many of these same cities must now work hard to reevaluate Chávez’s legacy, especially as it manifests within physical monuments. Officials in cities like San Jose have already begun renaming landmarks. At Sonoma State University, murals have been covered and portraits removed; similar actions have taken place in Fresno and San Francisco. Governor Gavin Newsom announced César Chávez Day will be renamed Farmworkers Day, while SF César Chávez Parade organizers have pivoted their parade’s focus to commemorating Dolores Huerta, a close supporter and victim of Chávez.  

Renaming efforts similarly face many challenges, especially in speed and cost. According to Calmatters, it takes either unanimous support from business owners or a city council to change a street name in San Diego. One candidate for CA state controller, Herb Morgan, confirmed to the New York Post that the cost to enact all of these changes statewide will exceed $10 million. Some proposed changes include renaming sites after Dolores Huerta, reverting to original names, or honoring other activists. The Filipino American National Society is one San Jose-based organization that has advocated renaming César Chávez Park to Delano Manongs Park — a reference to a pivotal group of Filipino labor leaders — since as early as 2021. 

Chávez has also heavily influenced CA’s curriculum, where he is often cited as a hero and moral authority. Following the allegations, educators are working to adjust coursework to reflect what is now known. “I teach ethnic studies, and in any US history classes, he always comes up whenever there’s a talk about rights or movements in the sixties. Now, we use it as an opportunity to look at other activists who were part of that movement, and so it kind of gives us an opportunity to see the other people’s contributions as well,” Ethnic Studies teacher Cyril Macasero said.

The Bay Area’s reassessment of César Chávez reflects ongoing efforts to take sexual misconduct allegations seriously, regardless of the status or reputation of the historical figures involved. “The [Chicano] movement … needs to reconfigure,” MSJ Spanish teacher Ferney Varela Sánchez said. Others have emphasized the importance of approaching the Chicano Movement more holistically. “No movement happens because one guy woke up one day and said, ‘Hey, I’ll be a revolutionary.’ It takes thousands of people and hundreds of hours,” History teacher Rachel Tevlin said. 

Community-wide efforts to reckon with both the pride and pain behind Chávez’s legacy reflect a vital shift — prioritizing accountability even amongst authorities and leaders.