Cesar Chavez: A Voice for Farm Workers — Passage and Quiz

Cesar Chavez was born on March 31, 1927, in Arizona. When he was young, his family lost their farm during the Great Depression. They had to move to California to find work picking fruits and vegetables on other people's farms. This was very hard work. Farm workers had to work long hours in the hot sun. They were paid very little money, and many lived in poor conditions.

As Cesar grew up, he noticed how unfairly farm workers were treated. Many didn't have clean water to drink in the fields. They didn't have bathrooms to use. Some workers got sick from dangerous chemicals used on the crops. Cesar decided he wanted to help change things.

In 1962, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta started the National Farm Workers Association. This organization helped farm workers join together to ask for better treatment. They believed that by working together, farm workers could have more power to make changes.

One of Cesar's most famous actions was the Delano Grape Strike. In 1965, grape pickers in Delano, California, stopped working to protest unfair treatment. Cesar Chavez joined their strike. In 1966, he led a march of workers all the way from Delano to Sacramento—about 340 miles! This long march helped people across the country learn about the problems farm workers faced.

Cesar also asked people not to buy grapes. This was called a boycott. The grape boycott lasted for five years. Finally, in 1970, the grape growers agreed to give workers better pay and improved conditions.

Cesar Chavez believed in non-violence. This means he thought people should solve problems without fighting or hurting others. He once went 25 days without eating—called a hunger strike—to show his commitment to peaceful methods.

Cesar's motto was "¡Sí, se puede!" which means "Yes, we can!" in Spanish. He used these words to encourage people to keep working for change, even when it seemed difficult.

Today, we celebrate Cesar Chavez Day on March 31st, his birthday. We remember him as a brave leader who helped improve life for many farm workers and showed that ordinary people can make important changes when they work together.