CESAR E. CHAVEZ BIOGRAPHY  TIMELINE:

March 31, 1927:  César E. Chávez is born on a small farm near

Yuma, Arizona.  The homestead of his grandfather in the 1880’s.

Education:  Never graduated from high school, and once counted

65 elementary schools that he attended.

1938:  Chávez family loses its farm during the Great Depression

and begins following crops as migrant farm-workers.

1944-1945:  Chávez serves in the Navy in the Pacific during World

War II.

1947:  Chávez influenced by his father’s involvement in labor

Issues joined his first union, the National Agricultural Workers

Union.

1948:  César marries Helen Fabela.  They have eight children.

1962:  Chávez starts the precursor to the UFW – the National

Farm Workers Association.

Sept. 8, 1965:  Filipino grape pickers in Delano, CA. go on

strike for higher wages.

Sept. 16, 1965:  Chávez’s union joins the strike against grape

growers.

 March 17, 1966:  Chávez and 70 strikers begin a march on

Sacramento, CA. to drum up support for the union effort.

April 11, 1966:  Chávez led group marches to the state

Capitol with the support of as many as 10,000 around the

nation.

March 24, 1968:  Chávez announces in Los Angeles, CA.

plans for a worldwide boycott of California grapes.

July 1968:  More than 100 grape growers and shippers sue

Chávez and the UFW claiming $25 million in losses.

1970:  Contract agreements between the UFW and most major

grape growers reached. 

1973:  Chávez organizes UFW of America union and new

Boycotts begin when grape growers fail to renew contract.

Sept. 21, 1973:  The UFW holds its first Constitutional

Convention in Fresno, CA., where 364 delegates represent-

ing 60,000 farm workers gather.

Aug. 21, 1988:  Chávez end a 36-day fast to protest pesticide use.

April 23, 1990:  Chávez signs agreement with Mexican govern-

ment allowing Mexican farmworkers in the U.S. to provide

medical benefits to their families in Mexico.

Nov. 12, 1990:  Mexican President Salinas de Gortari awards

Chávez the Aguila Azteca, the highest civilian award.

April 23, 1993:  Chávez dies of natural causes in San Luiz, AZ.

near where he was born.

Aug. 8, 1994:  President Bill Clinton awards the U.S. Medal of

freedom posthumously to Chávez.

Sept. 2, 1994: California Gov. Pete Wilson signs the César Chávez

Holiday bill, designating March 21 as a state holiday.