All About the Holidays: Cesar Chavez Day

(male narrator) In the United States, March 31 is observed as César Chávez Day. It celebrates the birth of César Estrada Chávez, a labor leader dedicated to improving the lives of migrant farmworkers in the United States. A migrant farmworker travels from place to place to find temporary work harvesting fruit and vegetable crops. It can be difficult work, which is why Chávez worked to improve conditions for farmworkers across the U.S. César Chávez was born in 1927 on a small farm in Arizona. As a kid, he attended over 30 different schools because his family traveled a lot to find temporary farming jobs. Most migrants worked long days in the sun, usually earning less than one dollar per hour. Kids worked too, and conditions in the fields were often dangerous. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, Chávez decided to use nonviolent action to protest these unfair conditions. Beginning in 1952, he organized strikes, boycotts, and marches, demanding better treatment for migrant farmworkers. Thousands joined him, and conditions began to improve. By the late 1970s, the United Farm Workers Union represented 50,000 workers in Florida and California. César Chávez helped countless migrant farmworkers in his lifetime. In 2012, President Barack Obama declared March 31 César Chávez Day, a national holiday to honor Chávez's commitment to social justice and respect for human treatment. What can we learn today from the story of César Chávez?
Now Playing As: Captioned (English) (change)
Cesar Chavez Day celebrates the life of Cesar Chavez, a prominent civil rights activist for migrant farm workers. Learn more about Chavez and his accomplishments. Part of the “All About the Holidays” series.
Media Details
Runtime: 2 minutes
- Topic: Biographies, History, Social Science
- Subtopic: Chavez, Cesar E., Hispanic or Latino Americans, Holidays
- Grade/Interest Level: 4 - 8
- Standards:
- Release Year: 2016
- Producer/Distributor: PBS Learning Media
- Series: All About the Holidays
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