Cezar E. Chavez

Background:

Cesar Chavez was born in 1927, near Yuma, Arizona where his parentsowned a farm anda general store and his father worked as the local postmaster.When Cesar was eleven his family lost their home and business to thedepredationsof the Depression and the Dust Bowl droughts. They joined the ranksof migrant workers headed for California. During his childhood, he attendednearly 30 schools and worked part-time in the fieldsafter school, but still managed to finish eighth grade. After a stint in the Navy, he returned to farmwork and married Helen Fabela in 1948. Together they began to teach farm workersto read and write so they could become United States Citizens and have morepower to improvetheir working conditions. In 1962, he formed the National FarmWorkers Union, laterknown as the United Farm Workers of America. He lead strikes, madespeeches, andappealed for boycotts of various products with much success, one of the most well-known being a grape boycott. Chavezfought for migrant workers' rights until his death in 1993. Hischildren continueto lead his cause and his name provides a symbol of the power oforganized labor.

The File:

During the 1950s and 60s labor unions were often subject to allegationsthat their organization members and leaders were either Communists or Communist sympathizers. These allegationslead to investigations by the FBI. In 1965 the above-referencedallegations wereleveled against The United Farm Workers Union and Chavez personally thus launching investigations by the FBI. These files containover 2,000 pages of information on the Union, Chavez, and the various actionsChavez organized as their leader.
(Image: Young Mexican women bundle broccoli ina field in California.)