Cesar+Chavez+Obituary+(3)

__Cesar Chavez (1927-1993)__

**__Overview__** Cesar Chavez was a Mexican American labor activist and leader of the United Farm Workers. During the 20th century he was a leading voice for migrant farm workers. Cesar used non violent methods to gain rights for the workers. Chavez could be compard to Ghandi in India. He used similar methods to get his way, and they both fought for similar causes. He organized strikes and nation wide boycotts on agricultural products to help the workers. It is very similar to the colonists before the revolution when they were being taxed on tea and stamps. Chavez belived in rights for workers so much that he would not eat for days until legislators voted to make laws to make workers lives better. He was even jailed many times for his extreme tactics. His tireless leadership focused national attention on these laborers' terrible working conditions, which eventually led to improvements.

Chavez and his wife taught Mexican immigrants to read and organized voting registration drives for new US citizens. He joined the //Community Service Organization//, an organization that worked for the rights of farm workers. In 1962 Chavez and some of his fellow workers rights activists started a union called the //National Farm Workers Association.// Chavez made boycotts to try to get workers better working conditions. In 1968, Chavez organized a five-year "grape boycott," a movement that urged people to stop buying California grapes until farm workers had contracts insuring better pay and safer working conditions. He also started a lettuce boycott. The name of the union was changed to the //United Farm Workers// (the UFW) in 1974. In 1978, when some of the workers' demands were met, the boycotts of lettuce and grapes were lifted. Chavez's motto was "Si, se puede." (meaning "Yes, it can be done.") He changed the lives of millions of workers, getting better pay and working conditions. __** Obituary/Historical Significance **__ On April 23rd 1993 Chavez was found dead in his home in Arizona. He passed away in his sleep. He did so much for the rights of spanish american workers. His family continues to fight for what he belived in. The work that Chavez did throughout his life will never be forgeotten. The link below will take you to the actual obituary that was in the New York Times the day after his death.
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Reference: (2009-10.1.2.C) Eaton Sources: //Enchantedlearning.com//. Web. 25 Nov. 2009. .//Nytimes.com//. Web. 25 Nov. 2009. .